Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry
Encyclopedia
The Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry is an American college football
rivalry
game played by the Michigan Wolverines football
team of the University of Michigan
and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
team of the University of Notre Dame
.
Michigan football and Notre Dame football are considered to be among the most elite college programs. Michigan and Notre Dame respectively rank #1 and #2 in winning percentage and #1 and #3 in all time wins. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competition for all-time win percentage, which each has held during their history, as well as national championships, with each school claiming 11. Fierce competition for the same type of student-athletes
as well as disputes over Notre Dame's potential conference membership in the Big Ten conference also serve to fuel the rivalry.
1936. The two teams ceased to play each other until the series was renewed in 1978. It has since been played annually with the exception of hiatuses in 1983–1984, 1995–1996, and 2000–2001. Including the 2011 season game, Michigan leads the overall series 23–15–1; since the 1978 renewal, Michigan leads 14–13–1.
In 2007, both teams were 0–2 for the first time ever. The two programs agreed to a 25-year contract extension in 2007 that will keep the rivalry game going through the 2031 season.
at White Stockings Park in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first football game played in both team's programs, and was won by Michigan 1–0 (by a touchdown
and a "goal" in early football rules). Michigan had already had a good program going in the 1880s, and had been playing other elite teams like Harvard University
, Yale University
, Dartmouth College
, and Princeton University
. Notre Dame had no football team until 1887, when players came from the University of Michigan to teach them the game of football. Notre Dame and Michigan were actually friendly, not rivals, at the time, so Notre Dame began its football program under the guidance of the University of Michigan. The first unofficial demonstration of American football at the university was coordinated by the University of Michigan and two former Notre Dame students, George DeHaven and Billy Harless. Michigan dominated college football throughout the early years, winning national championships in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918 and 1923. Michigan won the first ever Rose Bowl Game against Stanford by a score of 49–0.
American football did not have a good beginning at the University of Notre Dame
. In their inaugural game on November 23, 1887 the Irish lost to the Michigan Wolverines in a blowout. Their first win came in the final game of the 1888 season when the Irish defeated Harvard Prep by a score of 20–0. At the end of the 1888 season, they had a record of 1–3 with all three losses being at the hands of Michigan by a large margin each time. Michigan and Notre Dame did not play for the next ten years.
At the beginning of the 20th century college football
began to increase in popularity and became more standardized with the introduction of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States
(IAAUS) in 1906. That organization would become The National Collegiate Athletic Association
in 1910. Both Notre Dame and Michigan joined the IAAUS.
Both programs enjoyed success during this time. In 1913, Notre Dame helped to transform the collegiate game in a single contest. In an effort to gain respect for a regionally successful but small-time Midwestern football program, coach Jesse Harper
scheduled games in his first season with national powerhouses Texas
, Penn State
, and Army
. On November 1, 1913, the Notre Dame squad stunned the Black Knights of the Hudson 35–13 in a game played at West Point. Led by quarterback Charlie "Gus" Dorais and end (soon to be legendary coach) Knute Rockne
, the Notre Dame team attacked the Cadets with an offense that featured both the expected powerful running game but also long and accurate downfield forward pass
es from Dorais to Rockne. This game has been miscredited as the "invention" of the forward pass but is considered the first major contest in which a team used the forward pass regularly throughout the game. Not only did Notre Dame use the forward pass but Michigan was well known for this as well. The Wolverines' winged helmet was created because head coach Fritz Crisler (1938–1947) wanted his quarterbacks to be able to tell the difference between his receivers and the defense for at the time everyone wore the same colored helmet, so he had his players wear bright yellow stripes on their helmets. Michigan had an explosive offense from when it began playing football in the late 19th century to its back to back national titles in 1947 and 1948.
In 1909, Notre Dame beat Michigan for the first time after losing every game against them since the first contest in 1888. The game took place on the University of Michigan campus, and was won by Notre Dame. It is believed that the term "Fighting Irish" originated after this game, when a reporter from the Detroit Free Press
commented on the game in the next day's newspaper issue:
, the Wolverines returned to the Irish schedule for a home-and-home series. Layden was able to heal the rift between the two schools when he met with Fielding H. Yost. By the time the two teams actually met, Layden had left Notre Dame and Frank Leahy
took his place. Michigan won, 32-20, in South Bend in 1942 in a game highlighted by a malfunctioning clock. The third quarter lasted 23 minutes instead of 15, and both coaches agreed to play a seven-minute fourth quarter. The following year, #1 Notre Dame beat #2 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines decided not to schedule the Irish again.
However, in the Rose Bowl, Michigan defeated #8 USC 49–0, the same team that Notre Dame had defeated 38-7 in the final regular season game. Notre Dame did not play in a bowl game. Following the Michigan-USC game, many sportswriters argued over who was the better team with many, including Grantland Rice, calling Michigan the superior team, especially offensively. As a result of the heated debate, an unofficial AP poll was conducted by Detroit Free Press
sports editor Lyall Smith with Michigan and Notre Dame as the only two choices. Michigan was selected as the nation's #1 team by a 226–119 margin over Notre Dame in the post-bowl ballot. Some independent publications recognize both schools as co-champions, while the NCAA, the governing body for college athletics, cites Notre Dame as the official AP title winner. The Associated Press also does not recognize the special poll and the special poll does not supersede the original final poll.
Since the NCAA does not control the college football national title selection process, Michigan can claim the title.
The debate over who was actually the greater team has not ceased to this day among fans and sportswriters. Michigan won each of its 10 games by an average of 34.1 points per game and defeated 6 teams that finished with winning records. Notre Dame won each of its 9 games by an average of 26.6 points per game and defeated 3 teams that finished with winning records. In 1988, Michigan All-American Dan Dworsky
noted: "Notre Dame still claims that national championship and so do we."
succeeded Fritz Crisler as Michigan's athletic director in 1968 and made boosting attendance at home football games a major priority. The Wolverines had slid into mediocrity by the 1960s and as a result, home attendance had dwindled to an average of 67,000 fans per game in a stadium that seated over 90,000. Newly hired football coach Bo Schembechler
was delighted at the chance to face his close friend and former mentor Ara Parseghian
. When the contracts were signed in 1970, Bo said to Ara, "Ara, I'm gonna whip your ass!" Parseghian made what turned out to be a prophetic statement when he responded, "I'll be long gone by then." By the time the two teams squared off in 1978, both coaches were correct: Ara had indeed left Notre Dame and Dan Devine had taken his place and the Wolverines delivered a thorough "whipping," 28-14.
Finally on September 23, 1978, the Irish and Wolverines met in South Bend. Defending national champion Notre Dame, coming off a stunning 3-0 loss to Missouri in their season opener, led 14-7 at the half before the Wolverines got going and prevailed.
1979—Notre Dame 12, Michigan 10:
Notre Dame squeaked out a 12-10 win on four field goals. The Wolverines led at the half, 10-6 and were shut down in the second half. Michigan had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but a field goal attempt was blocked by linebacker Bob Crable, who climbed up an opposing player's back to gain additional elevation. A new rule was adopted the following season prohibiting this tactic.
1980—Notre Dame 29, Michigan 27
The 1980 contest (the only one not to have been televised nationally) was a see-saw affair that saw Notre Dame take a 14-0 lead, only to have Michigan erase it by halftime and go up 21-14 in the third quarter. John Krimm's interception for a touchdown brought the Irish to within one, but Harry Oliver missed the extra point. The Irish scored again to take a 26-21 lead, only to have Michigan come back to score a late touchdown and take a 27-26 lead with less than a minute to go. With one last shot, The Irish moved into field goal range and Oliver atoned for his earlier missed extra point by drilling a 51-yard field goal as time ran out for a 29-27 Irish victory.
1981—Michigan 25, Notre Dame 7
Dan Devine retired after the 1980 season and was succeeded by Gerry Faust
. The 1981 season opened for the top-ranked Wolverines with a disastrous 21-14 loss to Wisconsin while the Irish made Faust's debut a memorable one with a 27-9 victory over LSU. The win propelled Notre Dame to the top spot in the polls as they traveled to Ann Arbor for a showdown with the Wolverines. It was no contest as Michigan romped, holding the Irish without a first down through the second and third quarters. For Faust, it was all downhill as the Irish tumbled to a final 5-6 mark, their first losing season since 1963.
1982—Notre Dame 23, Michigan 17
The 1982 contest was the first night game in Notre Dame Stadium history. Notre Dame's defense held Michigan to 41 rushing yards and despite a freak pass that was plucked off the back of an Irish defender and taken for a Wolverine touchdown, the Irish prevailed.
1985—Michigan 20, Notre Dame 12
After a two-year hiatus, the two teams met in the 1985 season opener. Faust's teams had struggled through four seasons of inconsistency and it was hoped that they would be able to put it all together this year. Michigan meanwhile was coming off its worst season under Bo Schembechler, a 6-6 campaign. Notre Dame led 9-3 at the half, but their inability to score touchdowns raised some eyebrows. Michigan took control in the second half and won, 20-12. Schembechler remarked afterwards that he expected much more from the Irish.
1986—Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23
Faust resigned at the end of the 1985 season and was succeeded by Lou Holtz
. In the 1986 opener, the Irish did everything but beat the Wolverines. They never punted and amassed 455 yards of total offense as the Michigan defense, not knowing what to expect, was on its heels all afternoon. Several turnovers deep in Michigan territory proved costly for Notre Dame. Tight end Joel Williams caught an apparent touchdown pass in the back of the end zone, but was ruled out of bounds even though it appeared otherwise. Ultimately, it all came down to a field goal attempt. Unlike 1980, John Carney's attempt was off the mark and Michigan escaped with a 24-23 vistory. Irish fans gave the team a standing ovation as the teams left the field and Notre Dame was voted #20 in the polls the following week, the first time a team had ever ascended into the Top 20 after a loss.
1987—Notre Dame 26, Michigan 7
Seven Wolverine turnovers proved to be the difference as Notre Dame parlayed them into 17 points.
1988—Notre Dame 19, Michigan 17
Ricky Watters' 81-yard punt return for a touchdown was the key play of the game. Notre Dame led at the half, 13-0 and both of Michigan's touchdowns were set up by long kickoff returns. Reggie Ho proved to be the unsung hero for the Irish with four field goals, the last one coming with 1:13 left to put the Irish ahead for good. Michigan had one last shot, but Mike Gillette missed a 48-yard field goal attempt at the final gun.
1989—Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19
This was a memorable game for Irish fans, as Rocket Ismail returned two consecutive Michigan kickoffs for touchdowns. Notre Dame attempted only two passes the entire game which was played in the rain. Schembechler retired from coaching after the 1989 season and handpicked Gary Moeller
as his successor.
1990— Notre Dame 28, Michigan 24
Notre Dame notched its fourth straight win over the Wolverines with a come-from-behind win. Trailing 24-14 in the third quarter, the Irish got a lucky bounce, or carom when an errant third down pass intended for Raghib Ismael found its way into the arms of receiver Lake Dawson and kept a scoring drive alive. Adrian Jarrell caught the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
1991—Michigan 24, Notre Dame 14
Michigan kept possession for over 40 minutes and quarterback Elvis Grbac completed 20 of 22 passes, a record for a Notre Dame opponent. This game was notable for Desmond Howard's dramatic catch in the end zone on a 4th down and 1 play.
1992—Notre Dame 17, Michigan 17
This game is remembered for Reggie Brooks scoring Notre Dame's first touchdown after being knocked unconscious as he fell into the end zone. The Irish came back from a 17-7 deficit to salvage a tie.
1993—Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23
The Irish took a 27-10 lead in the third quarter and were poised to put the game out of reach when fullback Marc Edwards was stuffed on fourth and goal from the Michigan one-yard-line. Michigan then drove 99 yards for a touchdown and closed the gap to four with less than a minute to go before Notre Dame recovered an onside kick to preserve a 27-23 victory.
1994—Michigan 26, Notre Dame 24
A last-second field goal by Remy Hamilton enabled the Wolverines to escape with a victory.
1997—Michigan 21, Notre Dame 14
After another two-year hiatus, the two teams met again in 1997. By then Holtz had left Notre Dame and defensive coordinator Bob Davie was named head coach. Gary Moeller resigned after the 1994 season and was succeeded by Lloyd Carr
. Notre Dame took a 14-7 halftime lead before the Wolverines tied the score and eventually took a 21-14 lead. In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame managed to recover three Wolverine fumbles deep in Michigan territory, but came away empty each time. Michigan would go undefeated and capture a share of the national championship that season.
1998—Notre Dame 36, Michigan 20
The Irish opened the 1998 season with their best game under Davie with an impressive 36-20 victory over the defending national champion Wolverines. It marked the most points the Irish had ever scored against Michigan. The Wolverines led at the half, but Notre Dame seized the momentum in the third quarter and won going away.
1999—Michigan 26, Notre Dame 22
Notre Dame took a 22-19 lead in the fourth quarter before Michigan scored late to retake the lead, 26-22. The referees made a controversial call of excessive celebration on the go-ahead TD. Poor clock management proved costly for Notre Dame. Out of time outs, the Irish drove frantically downfield only to have time run out when they could not get out of bounds.
The two teams took another two-year hiatus in 2000 and 2001. By the time they met again in 2002, Bob Davie had been fired and Tyrone Willingham
was named to succeed him. Notre Dame prevailed, 25-23.
2003—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 0
2003 proved to be a dismal season for Notre Dame. Michigan notched the first shutout in the series since 1902, a 38-0 blowout.
2004—Notre Dame 28, Michigan 20
In 2004, the Irish, coming off a disappointing 20-17 loss to Brigham Young, beat the Wolverines, 28-20. Freshman tailback Darius Walker rushed for 115 yards for the Irish.
2005—Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10
Willingham was dismissed at the end of the 2004 season and was succeeded by Notre Dame alumnus Charlie Weis
. In the 2005 contest, the Irish took a quick 14-0 lead as they drove impressively for touchdowns early. Michigan's defense stiffened and would only allow a field goal in the second half. The Wolverines managed to come to within a touchdown, but would not get any closer as Notre Dame prevailed, 17-10.
2006—Michigan 47, Notre Dame 21
Michigan scored the most points (47) either team has scored in the history of the rivalry en route to a 47-21 blowout.
2007—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 0
Both teams came into this game at 0-2 for the first time in the series' history. Michigan won a much needed game against a rebuilding Notre Dame team. The victory helped propel Michigan to an 8-4 regular season and a victory in the Capital One Bowl
against Florida
, while Notre Dame finished 3-9.
2008—Notre Dame 35, Michigan 17
Notre Dame jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead, including a long touchdown from Jimmy Clausen
to wideout Golden Tate
, who beat the Michigan secondary for an easy score. Michigan tried to mount a comeback, closing the score to 28-17 before a Brian Smith fumble recovery and score ensured a 35-17 victory for the Irish. The Irish would capitalize on 6 Michigan turnovers in all. Michigan's program was transitioning to a new coach and offense, while Notre Dame was looking to rebound from a 3-9 season. Notre Dame finished 7-6 while Michigan finished 3-9.
2009—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 34
With Michigan trailing 31-34 with 16 seconds left, Wolverines quarterback Tate Forcier
threw a touchdown pass with 11 seconds left on the clock to wideout Greg Mathews (American football)
to seal a 38-34 comeback win for Michigan. This game set a record for the most total points in the history of the rivalry.
2010—Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24
Notre Dame came back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to take a 24-21 lead, but Michigan's quarterback
Denard Robinson
scored a 2 yard touchdown with 27 seconds left to give Michigan a 28-24 win. Robinson, a sophomore in his second career start, ran for 258 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 244 yards with another touchdown.
2011—Michigan 35, Notre Dame 31
This time Michigan was the team to come back from a steep halftime deficit of 24-7 to take a 28-24 lead with 1:22 left. Notre Dame scored a touchdown with 30 seconds left to take the lead 31-28, but Michigan's quarterback
Denard Robinson
drove the team 80 yards to score again with two seconds remaining. It was the latest point in the game that an opponent has scored a touchdown to beat Notre Dame.
Robinson ran for 108 yards and passed for 338 yards and four touchdowns. This was the first night game in the history of Michigan Stadium.
|}
|}
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
rivalry
College rivalry
Pairs of schools, colleges and universities, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, often establish a college rivalry with each other over the years. This rivalry can extend to both academics and athletics, the latter being typically...
game played by the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
team of the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
Michigan football and Notre Dame football are considered to be among the most elite college programs. Michigan and Notre Dame respectively rank #1 and #2 in winning percentage and #1 and #3 in all time wins. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competition for all-time win percentage, which each has held during their history, as well as national championships, with each school claiming 11. Fierce competition for the same type of student-athletes
Student athlete
A student athlete is a term used to describe a participant in an organized competitive sport sponsored by the educational institution in which he or she is enrolled, a term primarily used in the United States. It is used to describe the direct balance of a full-time student and a full-time athlete...
as well as disputes over Notre Dame's potential conference membership in the Big Ten conference also serve to fuel the rivalry.
Summary
Notre Dame and Michigan first played in 1887 in Notre Dame's first football game. The Wolverines proceeded to win the first eight contests, before Notre Dame notched its first win in the series in 1909. In 1942, in the first meeting since 1909, Michigan beat then #1 Notre Dame in Notre Dame Stadium. The next season, on October 9, top-ranked Notre Dame defeated second-ranked Michigan in the first matchup of top teams since the creation of the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
1936. The two teams ceased to play each other until the series was renewed in 1978. It has since been played annually with the exception of hiatuses in 1983–1984, 1995–1996, and 2000–2001. Including the 2011 season game, Michigan leads the overall series 23–15–1; since the 1978 renewal, Michigan leads 14–13–1.
In 2007, both teams were 0–2 for the first time ever. The two programs agreed to a 25-year contract extension in 2007 that will keep the rivalry game going through the 2031 season.
Origins and early years
The University of Michigan began its football program in 1879 in a game against Racine CollegeRacine College
Racine College was an Episcopal college in Racine, Wisconsin, founded in 1852. The collegiate department closed in 1887, but the college continued to be used as a grammar school and a military school until it closed in 1933....
at White Stockings Park in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first football game played in both team's programs, and was won by Michigan 1–0 (by a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and a "goal" in early football rules). Michigan had already had a good program going in the 1880s, and had been playing other elite teams like Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, and Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. Notre Dame had no football team until 1887, when players came from the University of Michigan to teach them the game of football. Notre Dame and Michigan were actually friendly, not rivals, at the time, so Notre Dame began its football program under the guidance of the University of Michigan. The first unofficial demonstration of American football at the university was coordinated by the University of Michigan and two former Notre Dame students, George DeHaven and Billy Harless. Michigan dominated college football throughout the early years, winning national championships in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918 and 1923. Michigan won the first ever Rose Bowl Game against Stanford by a score of 49–0.
American football did not have a good beginning at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. In their inaugural game on November 23, 1887 the Irish lost to the Michigan Wolverines in a blowout. Their first win came in the final game of the 1888 season when the Irish defeated Harvard Prep by a score of 20–0. At the end of the 1888 season, they had a record of 1–3 with all three losses being at the hands of Michigan by a large margin each time. Michigan and Notre Dame did not play for the next ten years.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
began to increase in popularity and became more standardized with the introduction of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(IAAUS) in 1906. That organization would become The National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
in 1910. Both Notre Dame and Michigan joined the IAAUS.
Both programs enjoyed success during this time. In 1913, Notre Dame helped to transform the collegiate game in a single contest. In an effort to gain respect for a regionally successful but small-time Midwestern football program, coach Jesse Harper
Jesse Harper
-External links:* * at College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com...
scheduled games in his first season with national powerhouses Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, and Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
. On November 1, 1913, the Notre Dame squad stunned the Black Knights of the Hudson 35–13 in a game played at West Point. Led by quarterback Charlie "Gus" Dorais and end (soon to be legendary coach) Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
, the Notre Dame team attacked the Cadets with an offense that featured both the expected powerful running game but also long and accurate downfield forward pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
es from Dorais to Rockne. This game has been miscredited as the "invention" of the forward pass but is considered the first major contest in which a team used the forward pass regularly throughout the game. Not only did Notre Dame use the forward pass but Michigan was well known for this as well. The Wolverines' winged helmet was created because head coach Fritz Crisler (1938–1947) wanted his quarterbacks to be able to tell the difference between his receivers and the defense for at the time everyone wore the same colored helmet, so he had his players wear bright yellow stripes on their helmets. Michigan had an explosive offense from when it began playing football in the late 19th century to its back to back national titles in 1947 and 1948.
In 1909, Notre Dame beat Michigan for the first time after losing every game against them since the first contest in 1888. The game took place on the University of Michigan campus, and was won by Notre Dame. It is believed that the term "Fighting Irish" originated after this game, when a reporter from the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
commented on the game in the next day's newspaper issue:
1942 and 1943
Thanks to the efforts of Elmer LaydenElmer Layden
Elmer Francis Layden was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame where he starred at fullback as a member of the legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield...
, the Wolverines returned to the Irish schedule for a home-and-home series. Layden was able to heal the rift between the two schools when he met with Fielding H. Yost. By the time the two teams actually met, Layden had left Notre Dame and Frank Leahy
Frank Leahy
Francis William Leahy was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive...
took his place. Michigan won, 32-20, in South Bend in 1942 in a game highlighted by a malfunctioning clock. The third quarter lasted 23 minutes instead of 15, and both coaches agreed to play a seven-minute fourth quarter. The following year, #1 Notre Dame beat #2 Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines decided not to schedule the Irish again.
1947 AP title dispute
In 1947, Notre Dame and Michigan both fielded undefeated teams that traded the top spot in the poll all year. Notre Dame was ranked #1 and Michigan #2 on October 6, October 27, November 3, November 10, November 24, December 1, and in the final poll on December 8. Michigan was ranked #1 and Notre Dame #2 on October 13, October 20, and November 17. After the final poll was released but before the bowls, as was the custom in those days, Notre Dame was awarded the AP National Title and trophy, which the school still holds. Both schools were 9–0.However, in the Rose Bowl, Michigan defeated #8 USC 49–0, the same team that Notre Dame had defeated 38-7 in the final regular season game. Notre Dame did not play in a bowl game. Following the Michigan-USC game, many sportswriters argued over who was the better team with many, including Grantland Rice, calling Michigan the superior team, especially offensively. As a result of the heated debate, an unofficial AP poll was conducted by Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
sports editor Lyall Smith with Michigan and Notre Dame as the only two choices. Michigan was selected as the nation's #1 team by a 226–119 margin over Notre Dame in the post-bowl ballot. Some independent publications recognize both schools as co-champions, while the NCAA, the governing body for college athletics, cites Notre Dame as the official AP title winner. The Associated Press also does not recognize the special poll and the special poll does not supersede the original final poll.
Since the NCAA does not control the college football national title selection process, Michigan can claim the title.
The debate over who was actually the greater team has not ceased to this day among fans and sportswriters. Michigan won each of its 10 games by an average of 34.1 points per game and defeated 6 teams that finished with winning records. Notre Dame won each of its 9 games by an average of 26.6 points per game and defeated 3 teams that finished with winning records. In 1988, Michigan All-American Dan Dworsky
Dan Dworsky
Daniel Leonard Dworsky has been a leading Southern California architect since the early 1950s. He is a longstanding member of the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. Among other works, Dworsky designed Crisler Arena, the basketball arena at the University of Michigan named for...
noted: "Notre Dame still claims that national championship and so do we."
Second hiatus
35 years elapsed before Notre Dame played Michigan in football, even though they competed against each other in other sports. Don CanhamDon Canham
Donald Canham was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally renowned for his ability to market and sell products bearing the name or logo of the school...
succeeded Fritz Crisler as Michigan's athletic director in 1968 and made boosting attendance at home football games a major priority. The Wolverines had slid into mediocrity by the 1960s and as a result, home attendance had dwindled to an average of 67,000 fans per game in a stadium that seated over 90,000. Newly hired football coach Bo Schembechler
Bo Schembechler
Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
was delighted at the chance to face his close friend and former mentor Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
. When the contracts were signed in 1970, Bo said to Ara, "Ara, I'm gonna whip your ass!" Parseghian made what turned out to be a prophetic statement when he responded, "I'll be long gone by then." By the time the two teams squared off in 1978, both coaches were correct: Ara had indeed left Notre Dame and Dan Devine had taken his place and the Wolverines delivered a thorough "whipping," 28-14.
1980s and 1990s
1978—Michigan 28, Notre Dame 14Finally on September 23, 1978, the Irish and Wolverines met in South Bend. Defending national champion Notre Dame, coming off a stunning 3-0 loss to Missouri in their season opener, led 14-7 at the half before the Wolverines got going and prevailed.
1979—Notre Dame 12, Michigan 10:
Notre Dame squeaked out a 12-10 win on four field goals. The Wolverines led at the half, 10-6 and were shut down in the second half. Michigan had a chance to win it in the closing seconds, but a field goal attempt was blocked by linebacker Bob Crable, who climbed up an opposing player's back to gain additional elevation. A new rule was adopted the following season prohibiting this tactic.
1980—Notre Dame 29, Michigan 27
The 1980 contest (the only one not to have been televised nationally) was a see-saw affair that saw Notre Dame take a 14-0 lead, only to have Michigan erase it by halftime and go up 21-14 in the third quarter. John Krimm's interception for a touchdown brought the Irish to within one, but Harry Oliver missed the extra point. The Irish scored again to take a 26-21 lead, only to have Michigan come back to score a late touchdown and take a 27-26 lead with less than a minute to go. With one last shot, The Irish moved into field goal range and Oliver atoned for his earlier missed extra point by drilling a 51-yard field goal as time ran out for a 29-27 Irish victory.
1981—Michigan 25, Notre Dame 7
Dan Devine retired after the 1980 season and was succeeded by Gerry Faust
Gerry Faust
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Faust is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1981 to 1985 and at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 73–79–4...
. The 1981 season opened for the top-ranked Wolverines with a disastrous 21-14 loss to Wisconsin while the Irish made Faust's debut a memorable one with a 27-9 victory over LSU. The win propelled Notre Dame to the top spot in the polls as they traveled to Ann Arbor for a showdown with the Wolverines. It was no contest as Michigan romped, holding the Irish without a first down through the second and third quarters. For Faust, it was all downhill as the Irish tumbled to a final 5-6 mark, their first losing season since 1963.
1982—Notre Dame 23, Michigan 17
The 1982 contest was the first night game in Notre Dame Stadium history. Notre Dame's defense held Michigan to 41 rushing yards and despite a freak pass that was plucked off the back of an Irish defender and taken for a Wolverine touchdown, the Irish prevailed.
1985—Michigan 20, Notre Dame 12
After a two-year hiatus, the two teams met in the 1985 season opener. Faust's teams had struggled through four seasons of inconsistency and it was hoped that they would be able to put it all together this year. Michigan meanwhile was coming off its worst season under Bo Schembechler, a 6-6 campaign. Notre Dame led 9-3 at the half, but their inability to score touchdowns raised some eyebrows. Michigan took control in the second half and won, 20-12. Schembechler remarked afterwards that he expected much more from the Irish.
1986—Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23
Faust resigned at the end of the 1985 season and was succeeded by Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
. In the 1986 opener, the Irish did everything but beat the Wolverines. They never punted and amassed 455 yards of total offense as the Michigan defense, not knowing what to expect, was on its heels all afternoon. Several turnovers deep in Michigan territory proved costly for Notre Dame. Tight end Joel Williams caught an apparent touchdown pass in the back of the end zone, but was ruled out of bounds even though it appeared otherwise. Ultimately, it all came down to a field goal attempt. Unlike 1980, John Carney's attempt was off the mark and Michigan escaped with a 24-23 vistory. Irish fans gave the team a standing ovation as the teams left the field and Notre Dame was voted #20 in the polls the following week, the first time a team had ever ascended into the Top 20 after a loss.
1987—Notre Dame 26, Michigan 7
Seven Wolverine turnovers proved to be the difference as Notre Dame parlayed them into 17 points.
1988—Notre Dame 19, Michigan 17
Ricky Watters' 81-yard punt return for a touchdown was the key play of the game. Notre Dame led at the half, 13-0 and both of Michigan's touchdowns were set up by long kickoff returns. Reggie Ho proved to be the unsung hero for the Irish with four field goals, the last one coming with 1:13 left to put the Irish ahead for good. Michigan had one last shot, but Mike Gillette missed a 48-yard field goal attempt at the final gun.
1989—Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19
This was a memorable game for Irish fans, as Rocket Ismail returned two consecutive Michigan kickoffs for touchdowns. Notre Dame attempted only two passes the entire game which was played in the rain. Schembechler retired from coaching after the 1989 season and handpicked Gary Moeller
Gary Moeller
Gary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
as his successor.
1990— Notre Dame 28, Michigan 24
Notre Dame notched its fourth straight win over the Wolverines with a come-from-behind win. Trailing 24-14 in the third quarter, the Irish got a lucky bounce, or carom when an errant third down pass intended for Raghib Ismael found its way into the arms of receiver Lake Dawson and kept a scoring drive alive. Adrian Jarrell caught the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
1991—Michigan 24, Notre Dame 14
Michigan kept possession for over 40 minutes and quarterback Elvis Grbac completed 20 of 22 passes, a record for a Notre Dame opponent. This game was notable for Desmond Howard's dramatic catch in the end zone on a 4th down and 1 play.
1992—Notre Dame 17, Michigan 17
This game is remembered for Reggie Brooks scoring Notre Dame's first touchdown after being knocked unconscious as he fell into the end zone. The Irish came back from a 17-7 deficit to salvage a tie.
1993—Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23
The Irish took a 27-10 lead in the third quarter and were poised to put the game out of reach when fullback Marc Edwards was stuffed on fourth and goal from the Michigan one-yard-line. Michigan then drove 99 yards for a touchdown and closed the gap to four with less than a minute to go before Notre Dame recovered an onside kick to preserve a 27-23 victory.
1994—Michigan 26, Notre Dame 24
A last-second field goal by Remy Hamilton enabled the Wolverines to escape with a victory.
1997—Michigan 21, Notre Dame 14
After another two-year hiatus, the two teams met again in 1997. By then Holtz had left Notre Dame and defensive coordinator Bob Davie was named head coach. Gary Moeller resigned after the 1994 season and was succeeded by Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Carr
Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
. Notre Dame took a 14-7 halftime lead before the Wolverines tied the score and eventually took a 21-14 lead. In the fourth quarter, Notre Dame managed to recover three Wolverine fumbles deep in Michigan territory, but came away empty each time. Michigan would go undefeated and capture a share of the national championship that season.
1998—Notre Dame 36, Michigan 20
The Irish opened the 1998 season with their best game under Davie with an impressive 36-20 victory over the defending national champion Wolverines. It marked the most points the Irish had ever scored against Michigan. The Wolverines led at the half, but Notre Dame seized the momentum in the third quarter and won going away.
1999—Michigan 26, Notre Dame 22
Notre Dame took a 22-19 lead in the fourth quarter before Michigan scored late to retake the lead, 26-22. The referees made a controversial call of excessive celebration on the go-ahead TD. Poor clock management proved costly for Notre Dame. Out of time outs, the Irish drove frantically downfield only to have time run out when they could not get out of bounds.
2000 to present
2002—Notre Dame 25, Michigan 23The two teams took another two-year hiatus in 2000 and 2001. By the time they met again in 2002, Bob Davie had been fired and Tyrone Willingham
Tyrone Willingham
Lionel Tyrone "Ty" Willingham is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Stanford University , the University of Notre Dame , and the University of Washington , compiling a career college football record of 76–88–1.-Early career:Willingham attended...
was named to succeed him. Notre Dame prevailed, 25-23.
2003—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 0
2003 proved to be a dismal season for Notre Dame. Michigan notched the first shutout in the series since 1902, a 38-0 blowout.
2004—Notre Dame 28, Michigan 20
In 2004, the Irish, coming off a disappointing 20-17 loss to Brigham Young, beat the Wolverines, 28-20. Freshman tailback Darius Walker rushed for 115 yards for the Irish.
2005—Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10
Willingham was dismissed at the end of the 2004 season and was succeeded by Notre Dame alumnus Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
. In the 2005 contest, the Irish took a quick 14-0 lead as they drove impressively for touchdowns early. Michigan's defense stiffened and would only allow a field goal in the second half. The Wolverines managed to come to within a touchdown, but would not get any closer as Notre Dame prevailed, 17-10.
2006—Michigan 47, Notre Dame 21
Michigan scored the most points (47) either team has scored in the history of the rivalry en route to a 47-21 blowout.
2007—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 0
Both teams came into this game at 0-2 for the first time in the series' history. Michigan won a much needed game against a rebuilding Notre Dame team. The victory helped propel Michigan to an 8-4 regular season and a victory in the Capital One Bowl
Capital One Bowl
The Capital One Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl, and previously known as the Tangerine Bowl and the Florida Citrus Bowl...
against Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, while Notre Dame finished 3-9.
2008—Notre Dame 35, Michigan 17
Notre Dame jumped out to a quick 21-0 lead, including a long touchdown from Jimmy Clausen
Jimmy Clausen
James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school career:Clausen had an outstanding prep career...
to wideout Golden Tate
Golden Tate
Golden H. Tate III is an American football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football and college baseball at Notre Dame.-Early years:Tate was born in...
, who beat the Michigan secondary for an easy score. Michigan tried to mount a comeback, closing the score to 28-17 before a Brian Smith fumble recovery and score ensured a 35-17 victory for the Irish. The Irish would capitalize on 6 Michigan turnovers in all. Michigan's program was transitioning to a new coach and offense, while Notre Dame was looking to rebound from a 3-9 season. Notre Dame finished 7-6 while Michigan finished 3-9.
2009—Michigan 38, Notre Dame 34
With Michigan trailing 31-34 with 16 seconds left, Wolverines quarterback Tate Forcier
Tate Forcier
Robert Patrick "Tate" Forcier is an American college football quarterback. He was a starting quarterback for the 2009 Michigan Wolverines football team ahead of Denard Robinson and Robinson's back up for the 2010 Michigan Wolverines football team before leaving the program in January 2011...
threw a touchdown pass with 11 seconds left on the clock to wideout Greg Mathews (American football)
Greg Mathews (American football)
-College career:Had a streak of 23 consecutive games with at least one reception starting with the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football season the opening game against the two-time defending FCS champion Appalachian State Mountaineers in.-Pre-draft:-Chicago Bears:...
to seal a 38-34 comeback win for Michigan. This game set a record for the most total points in the history of the rivalry.
2010—Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24
Notre Dame came back from a 21-7 halftime deficit to take a 24-21 lead, but Michigan's quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Denard Robinson
Denard Robinson
Denard Xavier Robinson , nicknamed Shoelace, is an American football player who is playing his junior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team. He started at quarterback in all 13 games for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 2010...
scored a 2 yard touchdown with 27 seconds left to give Michigan a 28-24 win. Robinson, a sophomore in his second career start, ran for 258 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 244 yards with another touchdown.
2011—Michigan 35, Notre Dame 31
This time Michigan was the team to come back from a steep halftime deficit of 24-7 to take a 28-24 lead with 1:22 left. Notre Dame scored a touchdown with 30 seconds left to take the lead 31-28, but Michigan's quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Denard Robinson
Denard Robinson
Denard Xavier Robinson , nicknamed Shoelace, is an American football player who is playing his junior season for the 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team. He started at quarterback in all 13 games for the Michigan Wolverines football team in 2010...
drove the team 80 yards to score again with two seconds remaining. It was the latest point in the game that an opponent has scored a touchdown to beat Notre Dame.
Robinson ran for 108 yards and passed for 338 yards and four touchdowns. This was the first night game in the history of Michigan Stadium.
Future
In 2007, both schools agreed to a 20-year extension of the series, which would have ended in 2012, to 2031.Series facts
| Statistic | Notre Dame | Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Games played | 39 | |
| Wins | 15 | 23 |
| Home wins | 8 | 13 |
| Road wins | 7 | 9 |
| Neutral site wins | 0 | 1 |
| Total points scored in the series | 668 | 837 |
| Most points scored in a game by one team in a win | 36 (1998) | 47 (2006) |
| Most points scored in a game by both teams | 72 (2009 – UM 38, ND 34) | |
| Most points scored in a game by one team in a loss | 34 (2009) | 27 (1980) |
| Fewest points scored in a game by both teams | 7 (1900 – UM 7, ND 0) | |
| Fewest points scored in a game by one team in a win | 11 (1909) | 7 (1900) |
| Largest margin of victory | 23 (1943) | 38 (2003, 2007) |
| Smallest margin of victory | 2 (1979, 1988, 2002) | 1 (1986) |
| Longest winning streak | 4 (1987 to 1990) | 8 (1887 to 1908) |
Game results
Winning team is shown in bold font. Years of a Michigan win are in blue. Years of a Notre Dame win are in green. Years of a tie are in white.|}
|}
See also
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalriesNotre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalriesNotre Dame Fighting Irish football rivalries refers to rivalries of the University of Notre Dame in the sport of college football. Notre Dame rivalries encompass many teams. Because the Fighting Irish are independent of a football conference, they play a more national schedule, and have thus...
- Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry