UM v. ND

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by Johnny Cleveland​

Whom can stop thinking about this one??? Well I sure can't so I figured I would give my memories of the recent UM v. ND history. By the way, if you read this and check out the links and videos, I gaurantee it will bring back memories (good and bad), give you the chills, and most importantly help Saturday get here faster! xoxo, JC

The History

With two schools so rich in History and Legends of Days of Yore, we would be remised not to explore our conjoined pasts. If you can think of a way to win a game, surely this rivalry has produced it. It appears to all of us that in the last 25 years we have been the defeated in more games than not against the aforementioned fish eaters, however the monumentality the Irish and National media make of them struggling to barely beat us is what I believe adds to this illusion. So without further ado, I give my personal history lesson on the highlights/lowlights of the feud.

Foundation

As we know two of the most recognized Football Programs as well as Universities in the World and easily 1 and 2 in the Midwest in overall recognition and support. Their traditions and fan base make them universal names in athletics and scholastics.

A. Prototypical Helmets

UM: Winged Tipped ND: Golden Domes

B. Famous Fight Songs

UM: Hail to the Victors ND: Notre Dame Victory March

C. Football History

UM: #1 Wins and Winning % ND: #2 Winning %

D. Stadium Lore

UM: "The Big House" - the largest capacity of any college football team.

ND: Home of the famous"Touchdown Jesus".

Games

I. Big Upsets 

You can take this as a compliment or as a continual underachievement thing but the big upsets of the past 30 years tend to only occur when ND wins since we are usually fairly evenly ranked or UM is supposed to win.

#1. 1993 - ND is a nine point dog and UM is ranked #3. ND assistant coach apparently gives pep talk that leads to win and then coach Lou Holtz proclaimsRockne's speech is now #2. ND 27 UM 23.

#2. 2004 - Although UM blew this one and it was in SBend, they were unranked and we were #7. Hart and Henne appear as Freshmen in their first encounter with ND and now they want paybacks, as does Steve Breaston, #15 for his fumble. ND 28 UM 20.

II. IT'S GOOD!! 

When teams are closely matched it's inevitable that special teams play a part.

#1. 1994 - Just after the Webmaster attends his last class at UM, ND scores with under a minute to play to take the lead on a throw from Ron Powlus. Then Todd Collinsrallies UM in range and Remy Hamilton etches his name in UM history with a buzzer to win it. Lou Holtz's participation in the rivalry ends on a sour note. UM 26 ND 24.

#2. 1980 - UM goes for two earlier in the game and misses, it later comes back to haunt them as Harry Oliver squeaks a 51 yarder over the uprights as the strong wind in his face miraculously disappears just as the ball is snapped. Touchdown Jesus? The ensuing elation of the south benders is labeled "The Wildest Celebration Ever". ND 29 UM 27.

III. Historic Contests 

With rich history, there are some unique events that transpire when these two rivals meet.

#1. 1992 - The last ever tie at ND stadium. A fabulous match up between #3 ND and #6 UM ends all square as the Irish's Reggie Brooks scores as he falls into the endzone after being knocked unconscious by would be/should be Michigan tacklers. UM 17 ND 17.

#2. 1982 - First ever night game at ND. #20 ND holds #10 UM to a measly 41 yds rushing. ND 23 UM 17.

#3. 1887 - As a friendly gift we generously allow Notre Dame to play us in their first ever game. And like any good mentor, we refuse to humiliate them and let them stay close. However we shut them out! UM 8 ND 0.

IV. R U KIDDIN ME! 

#1. 1989 - UM is in control of every aspect of this one, except for tackling a certain kick returner. Notre Dame struggled throughout this rain filled afternoon, but their"Rocket" did not. He becomes the first player to return a kick against UM in 32 years, then #25 does it again later in the game. ND 24 UM 19.

#2. 1991 - The blue prevail in this one that will forever be remembered for "The Catch". Desmond Howard gets horizontal with the big ball as he catches the oblong ball in mesmerizing fashion. UM 24 ND 14

#3. 1990 - With #4 UM leading by 10 points in the final quarter, #1 ND decides to allow young Rick Mirer to make his Irish debut. Elvis Grbac gets picked twice late and ND preserves its top national ranking with an astonishing comeback. ND 28 UM 24

V. Fairly Rare Ones 

#1. 1999 - A rare occurrence for Maize/Blue fans. UM is trailing late and future NFL Superbowl MVP (X2), Tom Brady leads UM all the way back to take the lead and defeat the shocked Irish faithful. UM 26 ND 22

#2 1978 - UM is running an option offense? ND gets a ridiculous 26 tackles from legendary linebacker Bob Golic but neither is enough. UM 28 ND 14


VI. NATIONAL CHAMPS! 

#1. 1997 - An early season test in the rivals' first meeting in three seasons boosts UM up the polls. Although don't get to excited it was Bob Davie's coaching debut against UM. The Wolverines slip by the Irish in route to a perfect season and National Championship! UM 21 ND 14

#2. 1988 - #9 Michigan v. #13 ND. Probably the most memorable for any ND fan. UM's stingy D allows no offensive touchdowns on the day. However Ricky Watters returns a punt 81 yds for a score to go along with the diminutive Reggie Ho's 4 field goals that included the game winner. Last minute heroics by Mike Gillette miss splitting the uprights and ND goes on to win the National Championship! ND 19 UM 17

VII. Futures

#1 2006- Story to be told: Saturday, September 16th beginning at 3:30 in South Bend, Indiana. Go Blue!!!!

"Notre Dame Can Kiss My Ass"

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​I had just completing unburdening my soul on my level of apprehension for Saturday's football contest to tailgater Lisa a moment ago, when she dropped this bit of wisdom on me... "Notre Dame can kiss my ass. Every one of them."

It reminded me of something that I somehow forgot, possibly because of the few years that ND was off the schedule, or perhaps due to their seesaw seasons of falling from, and returning to, glory. I hate them. This is a rivalry game. And from a competition standpoint, it's our biggest rival. I used to know that...we all did. We knew it in 1994, when following Remy Hamilton's game winning field goal in the last victory in South Bend, the student body took to South University, chanting "we want tear gas," and shaking police cars. I participated in the desecration of a Notre Dame flag, tearing it to pieces just a few feet away from where John F. Kennedy stood and announced the creation of the Peace Core on the steps of the Michigan Union. I still have a piece of that flag in a scrapbook.

I hate them.

I hated the way they used to hold that damn winning percentage crap over our heads. "Yes, Michigan has the most wins all-time, but we have the best winning percentage."Not any more...assholes.

I hate the way they look down their nose at you when you go to South Bend. Like their tradition and their University is better than Michigan. There is definitely a look. Like we're the classless cousin here to visit that they just pray doesn't shit in their flower garden.

I hate the way that Touchdown Jesus makes me not like Jesus. God could care less about your stupid football team.

I hate the stat that our last win there was in 1994, which conveys 5 or 6 losses in a row in South Bend. But we don't play there every other year. It's like panicking because our last win against the University of Chicago in Chicago was in 1939.

I hate Charlie Weiss, the way he looks, and the way that they look at him like he's some kind of genius because he had a three loss season.

I hate Sean Astin for playing Rudy. I hate Rudy. I think it's all bullshit. Fabricated movie bullshit. Like they're going to throw a halfback pass to give the ball back to Georgia Tech so a walk-on can play. My favorite part is when his friend dies in the mill, and his brother starts banging his girlfriend. And Rudy's dad was a fruit. "This is the most beautiful sight these eyes have ever seen"? Notre Dame stadium? Eat me.

Notre Dame - Know your Foe

The University:

  • Enrollment 11,479

  • Mascot: Leprechaun

  • Located just 4 miles from the Michigan border

The series:

  • Michigan leads 18-14-1,

  • The series is a stalemate 7-7-1 in South Bend.

  • Michigan has lost the last two games against the Irish.

  • Michigan's last victory over the Irish was a 38-0 thrashing in 2003.

Players to watch:

  • Brady Quinn : NFL scouts are drooling, but not as much as his sister on AJ Hawk. He is ranked 18th in the nation for total offense, but is just 55th nationally in passing efficiency.

  • Jeff Samarzidja : 2005 All American and Biletnikoff award finalist

  • Rhema McKnight : Current team leader in receptions and receiving yards per game

The numbers say (national ranks):

  • Rushing offense:
    • ND 71st, Michigan 10th
  • Passing offense:
    • ND 27th, Michigan 104th
  • Rushing defense:
    • ND 73rd, Michigan 4th
  • Passing defense:
    • ND 43rd, Michigan 27th
  • Total defense:
    • ND 63rd, Michigan 6th

Cheers to Old Notre Dame

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Michigan looked inept, scared, and downright awful on Saturday. Chad Henne looked rattled and inaccurate, and bounced passes off of helmets in what could only be classified as a Navarre-esque performance. Steve Breaston continued to fall from his redshirt freshman year peak. Mike Hart played injured and looked like it, right up until he left with further injury aggravation early in the game. The offensive line looked like the constant shuffling has begun to effect them. The offensive playcalling was suspect, and seemed to feature tight ends and fullbacks, instead of our supposed skill position juggernauts. With all of the questions we had coming in to the Notre Dame game, it seemed like we forgot the most important one..."How do we score?" Michigan managed only one touchdown, and that came late, ending the game with both their first home loss and lowest point total in nearly three years.

Michigan was not Michigan on this day. They folded under the pressure of the game, and fell apart in the red zone. The fans were classless, specifically the student section, whose frustration erupted late in the game in the form of the throwing of trash onto the field. You couldn't help but be a bit embarrassed as a Michigan fan. Your team, ranked #3, folding against a far inferior opponent, while your fans made you look like something out of East Lansing.

Optimism?

There are still 9 games remaining on Michigan's schedule, 10 if you are optimistic enough to guarantee a bowl game. There is room to improve, get better, play with a chip on your shoulder, etc. The march towards a National Championship is not over. We haven't even played a game that counts towards our chance for a three-peat as Big Ten Champions. But it's tough to think about any of those things when your team looks so horrible. It feels almost exactly like a year ago, when Michigan fell to Notre Dame and looked just as bad. We managed to move forward then, with a less experienced and less touted team, and we will move forward now.

All the Big Ten's big boys fell this week, with Iowa losing to Iowa St., and Ohio St. falling to Texas. So maybe we should all stop listening to the idiots that make the predictions before a game is played and concentrate on the game in front of us...um...like the big one this weekend against Eastern Michigan. A loss to the Eagles would mark the biggest fall in the history of college football, from #3 in the country to #2 in Washtenaw County. The trouble is, there is no question in my mind that we have significantly more talent than Eastern...I'm just not confident that we won't be outcoached.

Wow, We Can Tailgate

The tailgate once again far outshined the game. It was one of the largest crowds we've ever had, and it was easily the biggest spread of food we've ever had, with tons of Irish Themed delights from several tailgaters filling our 60 feet of table space.

Next Week's Theme

Next week's theme is Eagle Barbeque Picnic. More of an open barbeque theme, but with a slight lean towards eagle...er, I mean chicken.

Divine Disaster

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The Blame Game

I've said it all in the last 24 hours. Every possible insult. I've maligned our line, our receivers, our corners, and most importantly, our coach. I questioned motivation of the players, the playcalling, and even the gameplan in general. But I, like you, am just a fan. I know about as much about the X's and O's in division 1 college football as I do about the X's and O's in college soccer. I know very little about Chad Henne, and even less about Matt Gutierrez. Referring back to the 2003 season, I cannot explain to you what the difference was between the 53 carry, 212 yard performance by Chris Perry against Michigan State, and his 9 carry 18 yard performance against Oregon. I cannot explain to you why John Navarre showed the ultimate poise and leadership leading Michigan to their greatest comeback of all time in a sold-out, raucous Metrodome, but folded like a tent against Iowa.

I can only tell you what I feel. And feeling is all a fan truly has. The feeling you get when you hear about a great recruit choosing Michigan. The feeling you get before a season starts. The feeling you get when you're in a college town on the road, or the site of a bowl game, and you share an anonymous hi-five with someone else donning maize and blue garb. It's that feeling that keeps you coming back. It's why you tailgate. It's why you would spend your last dollar to park your car, or fill your tank of gas to make it to Penn State. It's why you're superstitious, and you wear those ridiculous yellow socks. It's why you sit in the rain, the sleet, the cold, the sweltering heat, for hours on end, even though you would have remained indoors all-day if there was no game.

But there is a price to pay for that feeling. And no, it's not monetary. Your heart and soul is invested in gameday. Whether you're in the stands, at a bar, or just sitting home by yourself, your emotions are dictated by the young men wearing the maize and blue. When they are unsuccessful, you are in ruins. You want to point a finger. You want to lay blame. For several years, I've directed that finger (whether justified or not) at John Navarre. The main reason being that pointing your finger at what you saw last is the most simple. At the end of most Navarre led losses, I saw John toss up an interception, miss an open receiver, take an ill-advised sack, or bounce a ball off a lineman's helmet, all on a final drive. And let's be clear here, I am not backtracking on my disdain for John and his career. But following my line of reasoning, I guess I have to blame the kickoff team for not recovering that onside kick at the end. Ridiculous, but not any more ridiculous than blaming anyone else on the team.

Michigan lost their 5th consecutive road opener, 28-20 on Saturday, giving the all-time win percentage lead back to Notre Dame, and restoring prosperity to a program in shambles. It was a bad game for the Wolverines, often difficult to watch. A frustrating, mind-boggling defeat at the hands of an inferior team. Deja vu would be an understatement. So who's fault was it?

Do not blame Chad Henne. This guy has filled the role just fine, and played well in his first road game, throwing for 240 yards on 25 of 40 passing. Saying that Navarre would have won that game is just ignorant. How many games did John Navarre win when Michigan averaged less than 2 yards per carry? None. In fact, he lost many where the running game was potent. Do not blame Braylon Edwards. While the ball that he should have caught that was tipped up for an interception may have been the most blatant mistake you saw on Saturday, don't let it make you forget Avant's fumble after his catch, or Breaston's muffed punt. Do not blame Coach Carr. This is tough for me, because before I watched the replay of the game tonight, I laid it all on him. But he is dealing with a very difficult situation. A freshman is at quarterback, which by all indications is his best option, but no-doubt has resulted in a watered-down playbook. Carr wanted a day of defense and ball-control through the running game. You can't get that if you can't run, but you also can't get that throwing the ball 50 times. Cautious? Yes. Conservative? Maybe. But Michigan football nonetheless.

Don't let yourself fall into the pregame, poll-driven hype (in other words, don't be me). This was a rivalry game. This was a tough road game in a tough road stadium by a team that had been thinking about a 38-0 drubbing for 365 days. This was a TEAM loss. The inability to get touchdowns instead of field goals, followed by untimely turnovers that left our defense in horrible situations, kept Notre Dame in the game for too long. Eventually, they were going to capitalize, and they did.

As much as it feels like it, this is not judgment day for Michigan football. This is not the end of a great run. We will recover. We will fix the offense. We will win games, and some of them will be big. People may start to not believe in Michigan football, and it seems that is when we become the most comfortable. Disregard us and we become the most dangerous team in in the country. Believe me, I feel it.

GO BLUE!

Return to Mediocrity

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A Sheep In Wolves Clothing

Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish. The gold helmets, the tradition, the team centered play, and the #1 win percentage in the history of college football. In 1887, the Wolverines stopped off on their way to a game with Chicago and showed a group of Notre Dame students how to play football. 116 years later, we showed them again. Ranking as one of the all-time feel-good games along with the pasting of Penn State in State College in 1997, Anthony Carter's miracle in 1979, and Dreisbach to Hayes in 1995, Michigan completely dismantled the Cowering Irish, 38-0.

A Perry Good Time

Talk about him. Get on the bandwagon. Chris Perry rushed for 133 yards, had 44 yards receiving, and scored 4 total touchdowns. He is the nation's leading rusher and the nation's leading scorer. And now, Chris is rapidly becoming the most talked about Wolverine since Charles Woodson. Whether or not Chris can keep up his pace in the coming weeks remains to be seen, but revel in it now... sorry Maurice, there's a new running back that is the sparkle of the media's eye.

Yellow Uniforms?

No time to rest as Michigan heads west, where success has been non-existant since a 1998 Rose Bowl victory. The Wolverines and UMTailgate.com will head to Eugene for a matchup with with the Oregon Ducks. Luckily, Joey Harrington and Onterrio Smith will be watching on TV.