Jim Harbaugh's Twitter game is in offseason form as the calendar flips to December. The Michigan head coach took aim at in-state rival Mark Dantonio with a social media jab Monday afternoon.
Saw Coach D comments on continuing to "focus" on how "he" can beat Michigan. Congrats on turning around a 3-9 team, plagued with off field issues. Good for BIG to have him back.
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) December 4, 2017
The response came one day after Mark Dantonio was asked about the bowl destinations for his Spartans and the Wolverines. Michigan State (9-3) accepted an invite to play in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl on Sunday. Michigan (8-4) landed in the Outback Bowl, which is considered higher in the pecking order for Big Ten bowl assignments. When asked if he viewed that as a slight during a news conference on Sunday, Dantonio made reference to his track record against Michigan and Harbaugh.
"I just look at it as an opportunity to play in the Holiday Bowl right now," Dantonio said. "The records are what they are. I'll just continue to concentrate on beating Michigan, let things sort of sort out."
Dantonio replied to Harbaugh's post a short time later Monday with a tweet that made reference to his first year as Michigan State head coach in 2007. He lost to the Wolverines that season and when asked about a mocking celebration after the game, Dantonio warned that "pride comes before the fall," before including that things were just getting started.
For all Spartans, "it's not over, it'll never be over, it's just getting started" #SpartansWill
— Mark Dantonio (@DantonioMark) December 4, 2017
Dantonio's team has beaten Harbaugh's team twice in their three meetings since Harbaugh came to Ann Arbor, including a 14-10 win at Michigan Stadium in October. Michigan's win in that series came during the 3-9 season Harbaugh referenced in 2016.
Harbaugh is no stranger to "shooting one across the bow" of others in the college football community on social media. In past offseasons, he has taken swipes at Georgia's Kirby Smart, Alabama's Nick Saban and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, among others.
After an uncharacteristically quiet stretch on social media this fall, Harbaugh was asked weeks ago if he changed his tact at all in his third year as Michigan's coach.
"I wasn't doing anything to get on the radar then, and I'm not doing anything now to stay off the radar," he said. "Just coaching the football team. That's always been my goal."