Michigan Football: Notre Dame at Michigan — Staff Predictions
Posted at 4:00pm — 9/7/2013
Michigan Football: Notre Dame at Michigan — Staff Predictions
GBMWolverine Readers:
Here is our take for the game today. What is your predictions … agree or disagree with us? Come to the message board and make your prediction.
Doc4Blu:
Very defensive minded game. Notre Dame has more veterans and Michigan has more question marks. The Wolverines will be ready to go, so will the domers. Could be a classic. Michigan must control Nix and run the ball, if not nighty night. Gardner must protect the ball and limit turnover damage.
This totally disgusts me.
Notre Dame 24
Michigan 17
Another “Under The Lights” game with these same two teams as two years ago. Any chance for another great game and great finish with a Wolverine win? I think so with all these questions.
Notre Dame has a lot of experience back along with some very talented younger players so it will be an interesting game that is for sure.
They also have a coach that doesn’t like the fact he was never considered for the job when RR was hired since he was a coach in the state of Michigan for many years and very successful one at that as well at several schools. I believe he stuck his foot in his mouth and was trying to protect his university with their move away from keeping this series alive. They can use realignment, they can use the ACC five game schedule, and they can use the excuse of “regional rivalry”, but when you decide to keep the powerhouse teams from the Big Ten like Purdue and Michigan State that doesn’t make Notre Dame look very good especially when you see games UMass on there, or like Army/Navy on there as well even though I understand those games and that Notre Dame has played them a lot over the years, but willing to bet if those two teams were good/great they wouldn’t be as happy to keep them on the schedule.
As one of the signs on College GameDay stated “Play like a Chicken Today” … I agree with that statement entirely and they (Notre Dame) took the easy way out, but they aren’t the only teams that have done this over the years. Look at Miami and Florida who have possible played their last game together on Saturday as well or teams like Pitt and Penn State, or Pitt and West Virginia, or Oklahoma and Nebraska, Texas and Texas A&M, etc…
Back to the game, I think it will be a great game, and a lot more scoring than people are predicting. Think it will be a crazy game similar to two years ago … just seems to happen when the lights come on at Michigan Stadium … remember two years ago, remember the three overtime win against Michigan State, etc…
Notre Dame 27
Michigan 35
Mike Fitzpatrick (The Michigan Man Podcast):
I guess I’m ready for what Coach Kelly considers a “nice regional rivalry game”. Say what? Maybe if we were playing Grand Valley that would be the case. At any rate….it should be interesting. Both teams are similar, in that their defenses lead the way. I think I’m more than safe in saying this…Michigan will not see a better defense at any point this year. My apologies to the lads in East Lansing, and this years national champions in waiting…Ohio State!
This Notre offense does not appear to be as good as last years, which only averaged 25 points a game. That said, they have enough talent to make things happen, but will they have enough? The same could be said for Michigan. Question marks abound on this offense. Can the offensive line crease the stout ND front? Is there any help for Jeremy Gallon in the receiving corp? Will D Gardner be forced to carry too much of the load? I don’t know! When you try and break this game down it’s tough. Two offenses with plenty of question marks, and two defenses that should be very very good this year. That’s why I think turnovers and special teams will be what decides this game. These two storied rivals are very evenly matched, so the team that keeps the mistakes to a minimum should come out the winner. As always…I hope I’m totally off the mark, and Michigan rolls on the boys from South Bend. That’s always my dream…but most often in this series we’re left biting our nails and saying a silent prayer right up to the final tick of the clock. It’s been a great series. Especially for a “nice little regional rivalry game”
Keep the cold beers ready, and the pepto bismal close at hand. I see another humdinger in the making. GO BLUE!
Notre Dame 24
Meeechigan 27
WerlsWolverine:
Big game not only for the team, but the program as well. Big test against Notre Dame and Coach Kelly.
Michigan wins and everybody sings “The Victors” and party like two years ago under the lights!
Notre Dame 24
Michigan 35
I hate Notre Dame. I hold no bones about it. It’s not little brother hate. It’s not the consuming hate saved for Ohio. But it is still hate. It is not an uncommon trait for a Michigan fan, but in my case, I have felt the cold steely gold and blue blade stuck in our collective hearts too frequently- particularly on the ice. ( Frozen Four, 2008; several CCHA Championships, particularly last season- which ended U-M’s run to the NCAA tourney.)
It is no different on the gridiron… where Harry Oliver delivered an impossible game winning FG in my face in 1980 (their second straight last second win over Bo) and where other strange occurrences in South Bend bit the boys. (Of course there are always the occasions where victory in the same light did occur- like in 1994-right Remy Hamilton?)
Michigan Stadium has been kinder, but not bullet proof- or should I say Rocket proof. But for every one of those, I’ll give you Elvis to Desmond and smile. I’ll give you the heart and tenacity of the 1997 team’s struggle on what might be a carbon copy of that early September (sweltering) Saturday this weekend.
This game, for some reason, doesn’t concern me. I like the fact that the Irish are “good” and have that NC game experience. I like the fact that we are at home where our youngsters are still trying to take the training wheels off. I like our athletic talent on offense and know that we have enough athleticism on defense to stop a rather benign (IMHO) Irish attack.
If the game stays close- which I think it will- it tends to favor the Irish. No matter how poorly they play, their knack for getting the key turnover, the big play or receiving the right call is one play away. Michigan MUST put that team away when the chance arises. They did it last week in the “men against boys” opener.
This week will really show if our running game has returned. This week will show if DG has learned not to force the ball and make better decisions. This week will show if our defense will truly improve from game 1 to game 2. (They need to, although CMU was not a real measure of a threat- especially when they lost their QB and top RB in the first quarter.) This week will be the catalyst to making this season outstanding or will cast doubt on Michigan’s ability to win big games. It will be OUR chance to derail the Irish and never let them plant their flag on our turf for some time after backing out of our series.
I like our chances. Sing the song, boys…
Notre Dame 17
Michigan 23
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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