Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has his team in the NFL playoffs in Year 1 of his return to coaching at the pro level. While undoubtedly impressive, his Wild Card Weekend berth is unsurprising given his strong track record at building teams and programs. He won the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship with the Michigan Wolverines and is only gaining momentum.
As he looks to become just the fourth coach to win a college national championship, what is Harbaugh’s playoff record, both in the College Football Playoff and the NFL playoffs.
Jim Harbaugh’s Career Playoff Record as a Head Coach
As he continues his quest to earn both a Super Bowl title and a college national championship, Harbaugh and the Chargers enter the first round of the 2024 NFL playoffs with a chance to make Harbaugh the first coach to achieve such a feat during the College Football Playoff era.
Between his extensive college and NFL head coaching career, Harbaugh has a playoff record of 7-5, a very impressive mark that includes seven postseason appearances across his career. Let’s look further at his splits and most important moments in both college football and in the NFL.
Harbaugh’s NFL Playoff Record
Harbaugh spent four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2011-2014, making the NFL playoffs in three seasons with a 5-3 record in eight games.
His 2012 season was his most successful as he led S.F. to an NFC Championship Game win after a first-round bye, losing in the Super Bowl to his brother John Harbaugh, a game affectionately dubbed “The Harbaugh Bowl.” The elder Harbaugh brother and the 49ers lost Super Bowl 47 34-31 despite a second-half comeback from down 21-6.
Now with L.A., 2024 marks Harbaugh’s fourth NFL playoffs appearance, and his Saturday, Jan. 11 matchup with the Houston Texans represents the first step toward a Super Bowl chase. Harbaugh has at least one win in every NFL playoff appearance in his career.
Additionally, Harbaugh appeared in five playoff games as an NFL quarterback, going 2-3 as a starter (0-1 with the Chicago Bears and 2-2 with the Indianapolis Colts).
Harbaugh’s College Football Playoff Record
The College Football Playoff has a decade of history, meaning Harbaugh’s first college stint — where he coached the San Diego Toreros and the Stanford Cardinal — came B.C. (Before the CFP).
However, after his time with the 49ers, Harbaugh rejoined the college ranks with his alma mater, the Wolverines. With Michigan, he had three appearances (2015-2023) in the College Football Playoffs, in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
In 2021, the No. 2-ranked Wolverines were taken down by No. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl semifinal game, the eventual champions. In 2022, again ranked No. 2, Michigan went down in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal game to an upstart TCU team that lost in the championship game.
Never one to give up, Harbaugh and the Wolverines clawed back in 2023, winning the College Football Playoffs, going a perfect 15-0. This was the final four-team CFP before switching to the current 12-team format, in which Harbaugh has never competed. This brings Harbaugh’s college record to an even 2-2 in his career.
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