Predictions for ND@UM

Submitted by Eye of the Tiger on

Here's mine:

Michigan 38 Notre Dame 24

Game starts slowly then picks up towards the end of the second quarter.  We manage to kick a field goal!

 

 

Grahambino

September 10th, 2011 at 12:40 PM ^

I think Hoke's staff will be like Carr's and be a strong second half team.   I think we'll go in down at half, but put a different defensive gameplan together to rally back in the second half. 

 

Michigan wins 31-27

 

Safest prediction of the day?  Erin Andrews will be the hotest chick in the stadium.

rockydude

September 10th, 2011 at 2:47 PM ^

I'm also looking for M in a squeaker. This year Gibbons actually wins us a game on a late field goal. Also, if the field gets soggy I like Fitz or Hopkins to get down in that mud and get us some offense, as that same soggy field that slows down Michael Floyd slows down Denard. 

rockydude

September 10th, 2011 at 3:02 PM ^

Totally forgot that. Or maybe I should say blocked it out of my mind. There is something wrong with artificial turf in the Big Ten. Leave that stuff to the Pac 10 or SEC, we play real football . . . 

I guess my prediction changes a little. Instead of mud slowing down Floyd, we let a live wolverine into the vistors' locker room. That'll settle his hash . . . 

detrocks

September 10th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^

The Irish are better than what they showed last week, but so is Michigan.   If this game were in South Bend, I would take ND, but it's in Ann Arbor, so I'll take Michigan 28-17.

bronxblue

September 10th, 2011 at 12:49 PM ^

UM 32 ND 30.  These games are always close, but ND is still smarting from USF.  Floyd should have a big game, but Denard is still trouble for an ND defense that is designed to stop more classic Big-10 offenses than the one UM trots out.  I actually think Roundtree and Hemingway will have big games, bigger than Denard, as ND's backfield looks mediocre and (I suspect) that ND will pull a safety into the box to slow down UM's running game.  That will leave the receivers with a sparse defensive backfield to run past.

Don

September 10th, 2011 at 1:08 PM ^

With Martin banged up, we don't get any consistent pressure with our DL. With Troy banged up, we can't control Floyd. With Fitz banged up, we'll have to rely on a far-from-durable Shaw. With inexperienced and/or inconsistent kickers, we'll have trouble in the kicking game.

Plus we're swimming against history... since the rivalry renewed in '78, we've never won three in a row against ND.

And most critically, the ND players are petrified that Brian Kelly's head will actually explode Scanners-style if they don't play well. They don't want to get brain all over themselves.

bronxblue

September 10th, 2011 at 1:10 PM ^

To be fair, with Crist's soul banged up, ND has to rely on redshirt sophomore Rees to play against a defense actually trying to stop him.  And I didn't think Martin was as hurt as originally suspected - I mean, he's banged up, but not like the high-ankle sprain he had last year.  Could be wrong.

Erik_in_Dayton

September 10th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^

Hoke said yesterday in the Karsch (spelling?) interview that Fitz was a little nicked up.  I've seen a couple of people on the blog say that Martin is banged up (I'm guessing that Don is going on what Brian said yesterday), but no one has ever provided a link or even a statement that they know a guy who knows a guy. 

Don

September 10th, 2011 at 1:58 PM ^

Correct. IIRC, Brian was basing that on something Hoke said in a presser. Who knows how truly banged up Martin, Troy, or Fitz really are, but if any one of them is, it sucks. We need our best players on D to be healthy, and we need an explosive RB who can get tough yards inside to take some of the heat off of Denard.

ihatestate

September 10th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

i try not to be a homer, but i really cannot see Michigan losing this game! First night game, a crazy crowd, the adrenaline's gonna be pumpin' in our guys! I feel like our defensive line will look much better early in the game and be more consistent, and the cooler weather will allow less substitution along the line. (ie: Brennan Beyer) The key to the game is rattling Rees/Crist early and often, which will hinder Floyd from taking over the game. It's close though, Denard feeds off the crowd in the fourth quarter, and leads a game-winning drive. Michigan 27, Notre Dame 24.

Erik_in_Dayton

September 10th, 2011 at 2:00 PM ^

ND: 45 - Michigan: 24

Michgain struggled to stop WMU's offense and often looked confused.  ND's offense uses similar concepts to WMU's but employs them with much better players.  ND put up 500 yards on USF, and I think that USF's defense is better than Michigan's (or at least more suited to play ND). 

Michigan will try a power running game against ND only to find that ND pushes back a lot harder than WMU does.  Michigan will have to resort to passing the ball in obvious situations, and Denard is not ready to lead the team on third and long plays. 

Michigan will give up long kick returns.  ND will not have a similar chink in its special teams armor.

 

 

Broken Brilliance

September 10th, 2011 at 3:59 PM ^

35-31 M...ND gets the ball with less than 3 minutes to go and drives down the field but and then rees chucks up one for floyd in the red zone....and woolfolk comes down with it to seal the win