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Michigan football’s head coach Jim Harbaugh previews Penn State on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018 before Saturday’s game at Michigan Stadium.
Nick Baumgardner, Freep

Michigan’s Lavert Hill, left, celebrates his touchdown with Josh Metellus (14) and Chase Winovich (15) against Wisconsin on Oct. 13, 2018 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.(Photo: Gregory Shamus, Getty Images)

For Chase Winovich, the idea was simply about the here and now. 

“I wanted our lunch money back,” the blonde-haired Michigan fifth-year senior defensive end said Monday. “And I wanted them to pay interest.” 

When Winovich went in front of a television camera after a win over Wisconsin three weeks ago and announced that the Wolverines’ “revenge tour” had officially started, he was specifically talking about this season. About focusing on opponents Michigan lost to a year ago. 

And anyone else who had gone after Michigan when it was, in Winovich’s words, fighting through “an in-between year.” 

“Revenge in general,” he added later. 

More: Michigan football’s path to Big Ten title game: What has to happen

In a micro sense, this adds up. But it also works on a macro level. Michigan is, as things sit today, the favorite to get to Indianapolis. The favorite to win the Big Ten championship. And the Big Ten’s best hope to make the College Football Playoff. 

Michigan’s conference title drought is at 14 years and the Wolverines have heard about it every step of the way. Jim Harbaugh now has a chance to take wins against Michigan State and Ohio State after listening for a year about he was inept against rivals. This team has a golden opportunity over the next month to dash several narratives and walk away with hardware. 

In short, Michigan’s “revenge tour” is a great big chance to shut people up. 

Michigan players raise the Paul Bunyan Trophy after the 21-7 win over Michigan State, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press)

From a national standpoint, there are few things more popular in college football than piling on the blue blood program that’s fallen on hard times. Hot seat charts and misery rankings. Nobody does Schadenfreude better than college football fans. 

And while this isn’t Tennessee or something, Michigan’s been up there with the easier targets for at least a decade. 

Rich Rodriguez arrived as an outsider and collapsed. Brady Hoke showed up as a well-liked guy and turned into an apology-issued punching bag. Harbaugh came here as a highly paid savior before seeing his picture next to Hoke’s on a low-hanging TV graphic comparing records by the end of year three. 

But it’s year four now. 

And whether he’s willing to admit it or not, this is the chance for both Harbaugh and his team to send back all the jokes and jabs and mocking sessions about whether or not this program would ever find success on a national level again. About whether or not Michigan’s internal view of its football program was dated and insane or still realistic. 

The list of doubters is long. I’ve been on it more than a few times. And it’s always been evidence-based. 

[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.

More Michigan football:

Jim Harbaugh excited for Chris Webber’s return to Ann Arbor

Michigan football has no update on Rashan Gary’s status for Penn State