The University of Michigan vs Notre Dame

[Carr Guy]

So Brian Kelly thinks Michigan vs Notre Dame isn't a rivalry? I beg to differ. This will always be a very, very special game to me. The first time I saw Michigan/ND was in 1997. I was a sophomore at Central Michigan and scraped up enough money to buy a ticket for the game. The only problem was I didn't have a car or a ride to the game so I posted ads around my dorm seeing if someone would want to go and split the cost of gas with me. Remember, this was before internet really took off otherwise I would have posted an ad on Craigslist, LOL.

A day later a guy a few dorms down from me knocked on my door and said he'd take me. He said he was going with his family and I could get a ride from them. I was so grateful. From that moment we struck up a bond that would later last a lifetime. We are still best friends to this day.

When we got to the game and took our seats, I breathed in the air and didn't want to exhale. I just wanted to trap that University of Michigan air in my lungs forever. When the maize and blue took the field and slapped the M Club banner, it was surreal. I had goose bumps all over. I just knew something special was about to happen. Michigan went on to beat Notre Dame that day and went on to win the National Championship that season, as I'm sure you all know. I will never forget it. Not just the game, but the relationships I made and the memories.

So, I'm sorry Brian Kelly, but this will always be a huge rivalry to me, and to thousands of other fans.

As for the game itself, I admit I was a little concerned about ND but the more I think about it, the more I think Michigan will take care of business. They dominated both sides of the ball against CMU and ND looked less than impressive against Temple. Gardner will have a huge day, something like 300 yards passing, 100 yards rushing, 4 tds. He's still young so probably an INT as well but the defense will get the ball back.

Michigan 38
Notre Dame 17

GO BLUE!
BEAT ND!!

[Terry in Crapchester]

Kelly's comments weren't nearly as bad as Mark May's, who stated that he "grew up watching the Michigan-ND series in upstate NY" (paraphrasing).

Uhhh, Mark? You do know that Michigan and ND didn't play between 1944 and 1977, don't you? And you do realize that you were already a sophomore in Pitt by the time the series resumed in 1978, don't you?

Yet another example of ESPN having its collective head up its collective ass when it comes to ND football.

[Killian]

Skip Bayless said the same thing, going all the way back to the days of Bubba Smith at Michigan.

[Screw_Michigan]

Yet another example of ESPN having its collective head up its collective ass when it comes to ND football.

Oh poor ND fans. When ESPN isn't going out of its way to suck your fucking crank for ratings, you whine about how it doesn't know shit when it comes to ND football.

[Killian]

[Left Seater]

As an outsider looking in, it seems to me that ND's rivals would be USC, Navy and Purdue in that order.

I think the ND brass said something about trying to keep USC, Navy and Stanford when they go ACC lite.


Sounds like Michigan fan considers ND as a rival, but I am not sure that goes the other way.

[Killian]

They do, and as with anything else, context is really important here. Here is Kelly’s quote: “I really haven’t seen it as one of those historic, traditional Notre Dame rivalries. I’ve seen it as just one of those great football games that Notre Dame has played.”

UofM is 8th, I think, in terms of games played against Notre Dame. So in terms of number of times played, he’s right. USC, Navy and Purdue are all yearly opponents with MSU being up there as well. Where Kelly erred, is using historic. Of course they are a historic rivalry. UofM taught ND how to play the game of football, and when you add in Crisler blocking ND from joining what is now the Big 1G, there is a deep history.

At this point it’s just semantics. I think ND and UofM fans view the other more as enemies than rivals.

[Terry in Crapchester]

They do, and as with anything else, context is really important here. Here is Kelly’s quote: “I really haven’t seen it as one of those historic, traditional Notre Dame rivalries. I’ve seen it as just one of those great football games that Notre Dame has played.”

UofM is 8th, I think, in terms of games played against Notre Dame. So in terms of number of times played, he’s right. USC, Navy and Purdue are all yearly opponents with MSU being up there as well. Where Kelly erred, is using historic. Of course they are a historic rivalry. UofM taught ND how to play the game of football, and when you add in Crisler blocking ND from joining what is now the Big 1G, there is a deep history.

At this point it’s just semantics. I think ND and UofM fans view the other more as enemies than rivals.

2st. Fwiw, Michigan is 8th in terms of games played vs. ND, and only recently, i.e., within the past 10-15 years, passed Georgia Tech. There have been two lengthy hiatuses in the series, both at Michigan's insistence.

As an outsider looking in, it seems to me that ND's rivals would be USC, Navy and Purdue in that order.

On the ND homer boards, the meme is that ND has one friend, one enemy and one rival. This particular meme has some truth to it.

Friend: Navy -- based on the fact that the Navy placed a sizeable NROTC Unit on the ND campus during WWII, when ND lost a significant portion of its students due to military conscription. ND was an all-male school at the time, and that allowed ND to keep its doors opened when other similarly-situated schools had to close. The Navy game has been considered a debt of honor at ND since that time.

Enemy: Michigan -- due to the fact that Michigan, as stated previously, initiated two hiatuses of 30+ years in the series, as well as Michigan's efforts to keep ND out of the B1G, and Michigan's efforts to keep other B1G schools from scheduling ND in the 20's and again as recently as the 60's.

Rival: USC -- due to the competitive nature of the series, along with the fact that USC was able to schedule ND when other BTPCF heavy hitters, such as Michigan, were not. It's also unique as an intersectional rivalry, which suits ND fine. Most similarly-situated rivalries in BTPCF are heavily regional in nature.

Michigan could have been in the rival category. The reason they aren't has a lot to do with the manner in which they treated ND.

Miami made a big pitch for inclusion as either a rival or an enemy in the 80's. But the series ultimately was too short-lived for them to qualify as either.

Navy can't really be considered a rival because the series has been lopsided. To a lesser extent, that's true of Purdue as well, but ND has just never seen them as much of a rival.

To me, Purdue deserves mention along with Navy and USC based on their willingness to ignore the Michigan boycott of ND. Granted, they weren't the only school to do so, but from an historical standpoint, they were the most prominent (Michigan didn't really give a rat's ass who Sparty played in the 20's). But while they may view ND as a rival (which probably would change if Indiana were ever to field a consistently competitive football team), ND just doesn't see them in the same light. BC is similarly situated to Purdue in this regard, the main difference being that while it's reasonably foreseeable that this set of circumstances could change for Purdue, I doubt it would ever happen in BC's case.

I think the ND brass said something about trying to keep USC, Navy and Stanford when they go ACC lite.

True, although Stanford is not being continued because ND's fanbase treats them as a rival. Rather, Stanford is continued so as to give ND an annual west coast road game (either USC or Stanford). Of note in this regard is the fact that when the Pac-12 decided that its members must play all OOC games in the first 3-4 weeks of the regular season, ND was grandfathered in as an exception, but only as to USC and Stanford.

I've heard rumblings about a deal for a long-term series with Texas, but nothing concrete yet. Have you heard anything?

[King Crimson]

skip bayless is an idiot. i have to share two things with that clown. going to Vanderbilt and being an Oklahoman.

sort of like Watson Brown, wherever i went in the 90's he was there. OU OC, Vandy HC. wtf?

i'm really glad i cured myself of sports radio and ESPN about 10 years ago....no more Skip Idiot.

I like Michigan-ND. don't know if needs to be annual but it's a solid rivalry imo.

[WolverineSteve]

It's going to be an awesome atmosphere in A2 all day long. I'm putting the finishing touches on my Triplegate that will be opening at noon sharp. Upon our arrival we will be crushing the massive sub sandwich I've created. Roast beef, turkey, salami, pepper jack cheese.....hell yeah. Then it'll be bloodies and beers throughout the day, tossing the football around etc. The main event will be @5:30. when I'll spark up the grill for my bbq pork loin sliders. We will head into the game and regroup for a proper victory (or drown our sorrows) celebration following as we wait for 114K to clear out. this will be beer and leftovers.

Michigan-31
ND-13

Go Blue!

[Shoalzie]

Gardner won't make the same mistakes Shoelace made last year in South Bend. Michigan wins and covers but it'll be close...Michigan 28, Figthing Irish 24

[Shoalzie]

Loving that 98 on Gardner...

[Cross Traffic]

Wow, that was a big of a boner you could possibly pull in that situtation.

[Shoalzie]

That pick in the end zone was Denard-like...scared me a minute that he was still on this team. I would've imagined had he thrown it away, he probably still gets grounding in the end zone and the safety. If you're going to throw it away, hit the third clarinet player in the Notre Dame band.

[Carr Guy]

Wow, what a magical Saturday! It's Tuesday and I feel like I'm still not down from the high yet.

What a game. What an atmosphere. We started tailgating around noon and went until about 7 PM! I don't drink, but it's so much fun to just be around folks from the University of Michigan who have touched me in so many ways. From young people to old people, I have been touched by so many here. I have been touched in ways I never thought possible. There's just special people all over campus. Quick story, I actually ran into Michigan AD Dave Brandon as he was doing his little "tour" around the various tailgates. I offered him a brat and we had a nice little convo.

I just extended out my hand and said, "Thanks for everything you do for my great university. What you've done for the University of Michigan is just tremendous and I am so proud to be a Wolverine."

He said, "Jim, right?" Because that's my name. And I said, "Yeah." And he said, "What class, Jim?" To which I said, "Oh, I didn't attend the University of Michigan but trust me, I am a died in the wool Wolverine." He said "Terrific" with a smile on his face and walked off. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE!

As for the game, WOW! I didn't think ND would come in there and get pushed around like that. Michigan pretty much dominated both sides of the ball. We already have an SEC level defense, now we're building an Oregon caliber offense to match.

LIFE IS GOOD! GO BLUE!!

[Carr Guy]

You're right. I should have said a MICHIGAN level defense, which is the standard all should strive for.

[Goober McTuber]

I don't drink, but it's so much fun to just be around folks from the University of Michigan who have touched me in so many ways. From young people to old people, I have been touched by so many here. I have been touched in ways I never thought possible.

No. Really. That doesn't sound gay at all.