Previously: Krushed By Stauskas (Illinois 2014), Introducing #ChaosTeam (Indiana 2009), Revenge is Terrifying (Colorado 1996), Four Games In September I (Boston College 1991), Four Games In September II (Boston College 1994), Four Games In September III (Boston College 1995), Four Games In September IV (Boston College 1996), Pac Ten After Dark Parts One and Two (UCLA 1989)

This Game: ESPN Classic abridged cut (warning: inexplicable editing decisions), no huddle every-snap, WH highlights, box score

some feared the worst heading into the '85 season opener [Daily archives]

For most of the rivalry's history, Michigan vs. Notre Dame has been an early-season matchup that threatens to dash the national title hopes of at least one of the programs. The expectations are different heading into the 1985 season.

Notre Dame coach Gerry Faust, infamously hired straight from Cincinnati Moeller High School, is on the hot seat after failing to finish better than 7-5 in any of his first four seasons. Michigan, meanwhile, is coming off Bo Schembechler's worst-ever season of 6-6, which went to hell when sophomore quarterback Jim Harbaugh broke his arm against Michigan State. The Wolverines have produced a combined three draft picks over the last two years; there'd been 14 in the previous two.

The Michigan Daily does its best to hype up the game, going so far as to give it a name that belongs elsewhere:

Usually when these two squads meet, both are in the top ten if not in the top twenty. Usually when these two teams meet, both boast a large corps of talented returners. Usually when these two tradition rich legions collide, both return from highly successful prior seasons.

Well football fans, some of this has changed.

When the Fighting Irish invade Michigan Stadium tomorrow to knock heads with the Wolverines, neither team will boast a top ten ranking, a huge number of talented returners, or a good 1984 record (Michigan was 6-6 and Notre Dame was 7-4). But still, all the importance, pressure, and rivalry is present.

It is The Game.

There's not a lot of optimism, however. This feels like a passage from Bizarroworld knowing how the 1985 season would turn out:

Today's Michigan football trivia question: When was the last year the Wolverines posted a losing record? Give up? The answer is 1967 when Bump Elliott's squad finished at 4-6.

Two years later, Bo Schembechler took over as head coach and has still not had a losing record. Last season, however, Schembechler's streak almost came to a rapid end when his team went an un-Michiganlike 6-6. Could this mean the infamous losing season is right around the corner? One can only guess.

One thing certain is that Michigan will not enter the 1985 campaign with their usual high ranking, their usual host of All-America and All-Big Ten selections or their usual chance for the Big Ten title.

The Michigan of 1985 has no spotlight-type stars-at least not yet. The team will begin with a humble billing and only winning will alter it.

And winning could be a burdensome task this season. The Wolverines face their toughest schedule in years. They play nine teams that appeared in bowl games last year. Indiana and Minnesota are the only non-bowl opponents. (Northwestern is not scheduled).

While Harbaugh is healthy, Michigan has a ton of turnover in the trenches, having lost two starters on the offensive line and five of their starting front seven on defense. The entire receiving corps is new, too, with sophomore Eric "Soup" Campbell—the future M receivers coach—starting on the outside after playing safety in 1984. It's unsure whether free safety Tony Gant will return to form because a broken leg the previous year may have caused nerve damage.

According to John Kryk's Natural Enemies, Schembechler threatens to bench Harbaugh after the first-string defense picks him off twice in the final preseason scrimmage:

"The offense couldn't do anything right," remembered Harbaugh. "We got a major chewing out from Bo. He ripped me in particular, and threatened to start Chris Zurbrugg instead."

Bo doesn't follow through on his threat, to the relief of everyone who sat through the 1984 season.

Despite Faust's middling record, Notre Dame is the favorite, entering the season ranked 13th and 11th in the polls; Michigan isn't in the top 20, which is as far as the rankings go. The Irish boast the game's Heisman candidate in senior running back Allen Pinkett, who surpassed 1,300 scrimmage yards and scored 18 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. The Wolverines have history on their side, however: Schembechler has never lost a season opener at home.

[Hit THE JUMP for the first half, featuring Unstoppable Kick God John Carney.]

CBS has this broadcast, which gives me an excuse to post my favorite college football intro graphics package:

Brent Musburger is on play-by-play alongside analyst Ara Parseghian, the most legendary Notre Dame coach since Frank Leahy. While I'm sure this rankles Michigan fans, Parseghian does well to maintain a facade of impartiality while acknowledging his Irish allegiance.

On a gorgeous 67-degree September afternoon, Michigan receives the opening kickoff. After three Jamie Morris runs, Harbaugh's first pass back in action is a waggle (of course) dumpoff that Morris drops, and his second hits tight end Eric Kattus in the hands but also nearly gets him beheaded. Perhaps intimidated by ND's sea of red neck rolls, Kattus drops it:

A poor punt from the normally reliable Monte Robbins sets Notre Dame up at their own 39-yard line.

The Irish quarterback is junior Steve Beuerlein, who'll go on to make a Pro Bowl in a 17-year NFL career that includes a late-career stint as Brian Griese's backup in Denver. CBS shows his sophomore stats, which make the previous sentence boggle the mind:

Yikes! Even by mid-80s standards!

Sophomore Mark Messner, a new starting defensive tackle (what we'd call 3-4 defensive end) in Gary Moeller's defense at 235 pounds, makes his second stop on third down to force a punt. While Michigan is pinned deep, we get a gorgeous shot of the Big House from field level:

Three plays later, Robbins punts it back, and again it's a short kick—Notre Dame takes over at midfield.

The broadcast shows Pinkett's parents, Virginia bus drivers who made the 11-hour road trip. Musburger says they'll make the return trip that night:

Pinkett eludes two tacklers for a gain of eight. I can't feel upset. Cornerback Garland Rivers stays in the pocket of his man and breaks up a deep shot; the target is sophomore Tim Brown, who's being shown a lot of respect by both the announcers and M's defensive backs. By the way they align, anyway—Brown gets feisty with the other corner, Brad Cochran, after getting ND into the red zone:

No call. A Beuerlein scramble gives ND a first down at Michigan's 14, then Faust goes into a shell, calling for three straight runs despite facing third-and-ten after a false start. Mike Hammerstein, whose whole damn name is on the back of his jersey (his brother Mark starts at left guard), stuffs the give-up play in the backfield.

On trots kicker John Carney, who made 17 of 19 field goals the previous season to earn a scholarship. These are the days when placekickers can use a tee. The future two-time All-Pro—with those appearances coming 14 years apart—makes it look comically easy. 3-0, Irish.

Carney crushes the ensuing kickoff, so the ball is placed at the 20-yard line, prompting Musburger to mention a rule change without going into detail. After looking it up, what the hell?

In addition, the committee abolished after one year the rule that gave the receiving team the ball at its 30-yard line when a kickoff went through the end zone on the fly. College football this fall will revert to putting the ball at the 20 on all kickoff touchbacks.

Punishing... kickers... for kicking... the ball... too far. Don't let anyone tell you they did it better in the old days, especially since this is the preceding paragraph:

The National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Rules Committee has liberalized its controversial blocking rules to permit blockers to extend their arms fully on both running and passing plays, whether advancing or retreating. The vote was 25-0.

I'm imagining that prior to '85 every lineman turned into Riley Reiff in the open field.

Anyway, Harbaugh shows off his wheels, taking off for 24 yards to get the offense into ND territory for the first time:

The passing game still won't click, though. Harbaugh makes a miraculous throw under pressure to 6'8" receiver Paul Jokisch, who'd spent the previous two seasons on the basketball team, but he only gets one hand on the ball and it trickles to the turf. Freshman Mike Gillette, unexpected winner of a four-man offseason kicking competition, comes up short from 47 yards out.

That sophomore receiver turns out to be pretty good:

Brown's eight-yard gain on a dead-on-arrival reverse may be even more impressive. These are back-to-back plays. A slant from Beuerlein to Pat Cusack sets up the Irish at the 14, giving Faust an opportunity to atone for his conservative red zone playcalling in the first quarter. On first down, Rivers tackles Pinkett for a loss of one. On second down, Andy Moeller—son of offensive coordinator Gary Moeller—tackles Pinkett for a loss of one.

On third down, Beuerlein drops back—and hands off to Pinkett, who gains two yards on the draw before Ivan Hicks corrals him at the original line of scrimmage. While Carney hits another field goal, Parseghian wonders aloud about the offensive approach.

Three nifty runs by Jamie Morris net two first downs. Michigan falls behind the sticks when his backup, Thomas Wilcher, is stuffed for a one-yard gain, then more bad luck for Harbaugh spells an end to the drive. Jokisch can't land inbounds when Harbaugh throws a cross-body dime after escaping pressure:

Jokisch then drops a tough-but-catchable pass on the other sideline that would've netted the first down. Robbins comes on for his third punt, a high 44-yarder that's fair caught at the ND 8. The Irish escape the shadow of their end zone before Hammerstein sacks Beuerlein to force another punt.

Looking to spark the listless offense, Gary Moeller calls a reverse for Campbell. Notre Dame bites hard on the initial pitch, giving Campbell acres of space to cut upfield for a touchdown:

I said, acres of space to cut upfield for a touchdown:

okay this is also fine as long as harbaugh gets his block:

lookin' good just pick one of the two gaps:

[RECORD SCRATCH]:

[OPENING MY MOUTH TO SCREAM BUT NO SOUND IS COMING OUT]:

I will see this in my sleep. Campbell barely gets the first down.

To make this all the more frustrating, it's Michigan's turn to bog down in the red zone; while Moeller at least has the courtesy to call a third-and-goal pass, Harbaugh has to wing it through the end zone with nobody open. A 21-yard field goal is well within Gillette's range, cutting Notre Dame's lead to 6-3 with 1:04 to play in the half.

As CBS returns from a break, we see that the Goodyear Blimp—in the days before it was painted—is doing just fine, thanks:

Faust is content to take the three-point lead into the locker room when Michigan boots a touchback. Pinkett is less content, and also quite fast:

Pinkett runs twice more to get the ball to Michigan's 42 before Faust—good lord, man—uses ND's second timeout with 20 seconds to go. Carney is evidently such a weapon that Parseghian suggests Faust may call for another Pinkett run to center the ball. From the 42. Faust, somewhat surprisingly, takes a more aggressive tack, and Beuerlein finds Tony Eason—no relation to the Patriots quarterback—for a 12-yard pickup.

The clock stops to move the chains with 13 seconds left, plenty of time to run one more play and call a timeout. Instead, Faust burns his last timeout before the ball is spotted, looks confused for a moment, and sends on the field goal team. Dude.

Luckily for Faust, Carney makes the 47-yarder look like child's play; when the ball goes through it's nearly even with the top of the uprights. He's now 11-for-12 from 40+ yards in his college career. Tees on field goals are bullshit.

Faust's inept clock management doesn't come back to bite him, either. Carney hits another kickoff through the end zone and Morris runs the final seconds off the clock. The Irish head into the locker room leading 9-3.

Morris leads the Wolverines with 75 yards on 14 carries. Harbaugh heads into the tunnel just 2-for-10 for 16 yards—both dumpoffs to Morris—with the lone rush for 24. The Irish hold a 164-158 edge in yardage.

Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion. There are touchdowns, I promise. Multiple touchdowns!