Jim Harbaugh is ready to return for Michigan after serving a sideline ban as he gears up for Big Ten championship game against Iowa: ‘I would say it’s good to be back, but I never left’

Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh is expected to return for the Big Ten championship game against No. 17 Iowa now that his three-game suspension is over.

The suspension stemmed from allegations of a prohibited sign theft led by former staff member Connor Stallions.

Harbaugh, 59, watched the win over rival Ohio State from home with his family on Saturday, describing Rod Moore’s interception of Kyle McCord’s pass in the final minutes as “one of the happiest moments of my life.”

No. 2-ranked Michigan has won all three games during Harbaugh’s last suspension, which was applied only on game days.

“My emotions, my focus was on the team the whole time,” he said ESPN on Sunday. “It’s been a great season, exactly in the position we had hoped for and worked so hard for. It’s further now. We have achieved many of our goals, but not all of them yet. […] Next up is winning the conference championship, so that’s where our focus is. I’d say it’s good to be back, but I never left.”

After Saturday’s win against the Buckeyes, the Wolverines became the first Big Ten team ever to win 30 straight regular-season games.

Harbaugh praised his offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore for stepping up as head coach and a “very, very special team” during his suspension, citing his own coach at Michigan, Hall of Famer Bro Schembechler.

“The team, the team, the team — it sounds so loud,” Harbaugh said. ‘It wasn’t one man.

“All the guys, the whole team, the way they played and it was offense complementing the defense, the defense complementing the offense, special teams as well.

‘Everything went really clean and precise, very disciplined football and a clean game, on both sides.’

Michigan assistant Sherrone Moore replaced Harbaugh and defeated Ohio State on Sunday

Harbaugh also reiterated his willingness to take less money if it meant college football players and other athletes would get paid.

“To get the players compensated, I use my vote, and I would need less money to give the players a share. I hope other coaches would use their voices to express the same thing,” Harbaugh said Sunday, bringing up the sacrifice athletes made when offensive lineman Zak Zinter broke his leg in the third quarter of the Wolverines’ win over the state of Ohio.

‘Who can be against the players being compensated for what they do, or at least even a minimum wage? I mean, who can argue with that if there’s an injury or not?’ said Harbaugh, whose base salary this year is $7.63 million, with another $3 million in bonuses possible.

Athletes can make money from their name, image and likeness, but are not paid directly by schools.