ANN ARBOR, Mich—Defending itself against scandal a few weeks ago, Michigan’s top brass was ready to argue in a court of law that it would be impossible for the Wolverines to win their biggest games without head coach Jim Harbaugh. It especially needed him on the sidelines for the annual shootout against Ohio State. The panic levels were apocalyptic, the predictions dire.

In the end, however, Michigan stared down the biggest game of a title-chasing season by doing what it had already done five times this year: win without its head coach.