Michigan Football Rivalries: A Look Into The Greatest

Oct 10, 2015; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly signals from the sideline in the third quarter against the Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame won 41-24. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Now we look at a game that is kind of controversial, but since it is being rekindled, let’s just take a gander.

This is indeed a rivalry. I’m not sure who said it wasn’t, or why that blasphemy came from that person’s lips. Michigan is Notre Dame’s first and oldest rival.

Starting all the way back in 1887, Michigan taught Notre Dame the game of football. It was ugly at first, but Notre Dame got it together to become one of the greatest traditions to have ever hit the game. That makes this rivalry, between two of the elite programs in college football history, a legitimate rivalry.

Let’s talk about just how elite these teams are. Both teams have a claim on 11 national titles and for good reason. Have you seen their overall records? Notre Dame is No. 1 in all-time win percentage, with Michigan coming in a close second. How about the most wins of all time? Michigan has the most wins of all time and Notre Dame is No. 3.

Some great players have come from both of these schools. How could you not mention Joe Montana when talking about Notre Dame? It’s like talking about Michigan and not mentioning Rick Leach. Oh, they played each other, by the way. That was the year Notre Dame, the defending national champs, lost to Michigan, the No. 5 team in the nation. I love history.

Speaking of history, this rivalry doesn’t have a lot compared to other rivalry games. There are only 42 games between the two of them. However, Michigan leads that series 24-17-1, making it the only rival team with a winning record over Notre Dame. Yeah, I can definitely see how this isn’t a rivalry.

These two teams have had some of the best matchups throughout history, though. From Notre Dame being able to slow down, but not stop, Fielding H. Yost’s “point-a-minute” offense to both teams shattering national title aspirations for each other.

Heck, Notre Dame was part of the inspiration in Louis Elbel writing “The Victors.”

Though Brian Kelly had stated a couple years ago that the Michigan-Notre Dame game was not a “historic rivalry,” he amended that in September of this year by expressing that he wants it back.

Could it be that he got chicken danced out of the Big House? Could it be that leaving a storied team in one of its worst years with a 31-0 beat down isn’t what he had in mind? Maybe, but more than likely it is that he knows it is a true rivalry, like we all do.

I respect Notre Dame more than any other team I can’t stand, but this rivalry not being played bothers me a little bit. Hopefully we see it come back soon, because I swear to you, those were some of the best games I’ve seen in my life.

Next: Michigan State