1985 notre dame

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Special Guests: These are turning into Hardcore Histories with these interviews but what are you going to do when you've got Jim Scarcelli and Johnny Kolesar joining you to talk about the team that might have been Bo's best national championship claim.

1. SETUP AND PAYOFF

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Sap and Seth set up the season because 1984 was rough. Has Bo lost it?

2. THE TEAM

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The defense has a highlight video. The offense had Harbaugh.

3. THE NON-CONFERENCE

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• Notre Dame 20-12: Harbaugh is 2-10 in the first half. 'Soup' Campbell's reverse is called "Sally" which Michigan only ran in the big games.
• @South Carolina 34-3: All we hear about are the Fire Ants defense. It's all over after Wilcher's helmet comes off. SC's defensive backs are coached so badly we look up who was in charge of them, and you'll never guess who it was.
• Maryland 20-0: Battle of the Baughs. Slow-motion blowout. Seth's first Michigan game? Kolesar's first pass, the defense's first stand.

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THERE WILL BE A PART II

MUSIC:

• "Glory Days"—Bruce Springsteen
• "And We Danced"—The Hooters
• “Across 110th Street”

THE USUAL LINKS

• Helpful iTunes subscribe link
• General podcast feed link
• Download link. (right-click, download)
• What's with the theme music?

Jamie was a tough little, chiseled chunk of steel. You don't see the little bastard!

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

Part One: Click here.

Michigan and Notre Dame come out of Big House tunnel with the visitors leading 9-3. It hasn't been a pretty opener, at least on the field. Jim Harbaugh, in his return from a broken arm that cost him most of 1984, is only 2-for-10 for 16 yards, though that stat line belies his accuracy—his receivers let him down in the first half. The Wolverines defense, a major question mark heading into the season because of turnover in the front seven, has kept Heisman candidate Allen Pinkett quiet. Total yardage: 164-158, ND.

The opening kickoff of the second half is cut from the ESPN Classic version. Thankfully, it's preserved elsewhere, because it's the most important play of the game:

"It was the one time the Lord looked down on somebody other than Notre Dame," says Bo Schembechler after the game.

Alonzo Jefferson's fumble, recovered by Dieter Heren, sets Michigan up on the Irish 14-yard line. Jamie Morris runs twice for four yards, setting up a critical third down. Brent Musburger asks Ara Parseghian what he'd do in this situation. "I think I’d go with a little draw play, a little delay," says Parseghian. Meanwhile, there's an issue with the clock, giving Michigan a de facto timeout.

"We caught them in a man-to-man defense," Jim Harbaugh tells the Daily. "And (quarterbacks coach Jerry) Hanlon called the play from the press box."

"Anyone could have scored on that play, but I'm just thankful he called it."

It's a perfect call that's executed just as well; the left side of the offensive line, in particular, does a beautiful job executing combo blocks. Left guard Mark Hammerstein gets the on-air shoutout, so I'll point out you should also watch the fullback, Gerald White (#22), slip out of the backfield to get the key second-level block. We waited a long time for a touchdown; at least it was pretty. 10-9, Michigan.

[Hit THE JUMP for Michigan trying to give the gift right back, then Hammer Time.]

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.]