Jim Harbaugh was a winner Saturday in his home debut as Michigan’s coach, thanks in large part to De’Veon Smith’s 126 yards rushing and three touchdowns, which lifted the Wolverines to a 35-7 victory over Oregon State.
Michigan (1-1) got a few breaks in a pivotal second quarter and made the most of them against the Beavers (1-1), who gave up 35 straight points after scoring first.
Smith gave the Wolverines a running game that they lacked in last week’s loss to Utah. Defensively, they put pressure on Oregon State’s quarterbacks and did not give up a lot on the ground — much to the delight of nearly 110,000 fans who filled the Big House with hopes that Harbaugh, the sagging program’s new leader, will make a difference.