Prediction: ND/Michigan

Submitted by rastafari on

Ok. Enough with the fluff.

There will be a lot of scoring. Either defense will not dominate. The big house will rock loud.
Tate will be on a roll. Breakout performance. Denard too. Minor in early knocking heads and stiff arming. No Hemingway but others in there. Zoltan. Watch out for # 2 breakout Vincent.

Warren is on top of his game.

Michigan 31
ND 24

You can take that to the bank.

OSUMC Wolverine

September 10th, 2009 at 10:30 PM ^

We will lose a heartbreaker eventually, but not this Saturday. As Tebow scores his final TD of his collegiate career with one of those jump ball passes to win the game and the national title...but we'll get 'em next year. We have to lose our first game sometime...

Smitty D

September 10th, 2009 at 10:41 PM ^

is about the deep ball and pressure. Stop the deep ball and put pressure on Jimmy to make him force throws, and make mistakes. Tate hopefully stays smart limits the mistakes 31-28 Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeichigan

PSALM 23 Rod N…

September 10th, 2009 at 10:45 PM ^

Someone posted that the Underdogs are .500 in this series. This is at the Big House. Do not underestimate our running game and ball control to keep Jimmah off the field. Also do not disrespect and underestimate our Defense's ability to smack Jimmah in the mouth and get in his head.

UM two Long drives for TDs. Defense scored a TD for us on interception return. Two Game breaking scores for our hidden Playmaker, ala Manningham coming out party. (Denard?)

Two Big Irish pass plays TD, One Long Drive TD, with running TD , 3 Clausen INT, Special Team TD?

Throw in a Field Goal Each?

M 38 ND 31

ShockFX

September 10th, 2009 at 10:50 PM ^

Michigan will be more fired up this week than last. ND will come out flat, because it's what they've done so far under Charlie in big games. A bit of adversity later and they will fold like the New York Mets. Notre Dame doesn't have a short passing game; if the front 7 can generate pressure we will sit in a deep cover 2 all day long. Michigan's speed will make Notre Dame cry. BOOK IT!

Michigan 41
Notre Dame 16

Plegerize

September 10th, 2009 at 10:54 PM ^

We are going to put up a good fight, match touchdown for touchdown, but I look at our depth on defense (and the fact that there is a greater pressure on Fat Weis to win) and I have a feeling it will go to the domers.

Call me pessimistic as well, but I still think we haven't gotten our tickets to the gun show JUST yet. We still have a lot to prove, remember we played a MAC team, not a ranked opponent. Maybe I'm just trying not to get my hopes up, but I think we need to be realistic here as well.

samsoccer7

September 10th, 2009 at 11:22 PM ^

The fact we almost beat ND last year despite fumbling the game away, and playing in the rain, bodes well for us this year. Can you believe we actually almost pulled it off last year?!?! Seems ridiculous doesn't it??

That game was in the rain, so speed advantage = us.
That game was in the rain, so turnovers minimized compared to last year = us.
Jimmy Clausen a year older, but is he really wiser? He doesn't seem like one of those guys you beg for on your team in a pressure situation, unlike Jesus Tebow, McCoy, or Bradford with a normal AC joint. He doesn't have the "it" for me.

I think we take this one 27-20.

EDIT: I kept the score down a little b/c both teams are gonna be a little conservative b/c both coaches and teams really need this game. Zoltan is gonna be huge for us and switching the field is gonna be critical. I think RR pulls a bit of the Lloyd in him and keeps the gameplan a bit simple if we're up.

alabluema

September 10th, 2009 at 11:02 PM ^

I will not venture a guess about this game until THE KNOWLEDGE chimes in. He's hiding out somewhere with J. D. Salinger. I think they sip Yerba Mate or maybe Coca tea and talk about the hypocrisy of the cosmos. They also accurately predict things about Michigan football, which is also cosmically significant in ways that no outsider can understand.

ERich79

September 10th, 2009 at 11:18 PM ^

I believe that there will be a lot of scoring with Notre Dame's okay defense and Michigan having a really young defense in some spots especially the cornerbacks. The Irish have really talented receivers that will make some big plays which in the end could hurt them with how good clausen is. But Michigan is at home this year with a lot of momentum from last week with that being their first win in their opening week in 3 years. Look for Michigan to come out strong and make some big plays with Forcier and Robinson with an addition of Minor. On the defensive of side, I think Graham will make a few big plays this week because I know he wants to beat Notre Dame in his Senior year. My prediction is Michigan winning 38-31. Close game but Michigan will find a way to win. GO BLUE!

colin

September 10th, 2009 at 11:25 PM ^

ND has been recruiting talent for a while, at least on par with Michigan, and they're all a year older than our players. Now the one player who's shown he can stretch the field is out. It'll take an excellent rushing performance and constant pressure to take this. That's asking a lot of both lines.

30 ND
21 M

The King of Belch

September 10th, 2009 at 11:32 PM ^

Looks like they are not healthy for this game. Cissoko doesn't seem to be healthy, or at his best.

Notre Dame 33 Michigan 17

AMazinBlue

September 10th, 2009 at 11:35 PM ^

Saturday. Despite the negative feelings about Hemmingway and the deep threats of Tate and Floyd, this Michigan team has something to prove and to do so, they need and want this badly.

Minor Rage + Shoelace run amok + Tate's accuracy and BG destroying Jimmah = Michigan 38, ND 27.

jabberwock

September 11th, 2009 at 12:06 AM ^

The psychic leprechaun I encountered stumbling home from the bar last night swore to me the score would be 31-20 Notre Dame; including a minimum of 4 Michigan pass interference penalties!

I was as outraged as the next Michigan fan so I beat him silly with his own shillelagh, and left him broken and sobbing on a trash heap next to the Davison freeway.

I've got to go with his prediction though, urine soaked anthropomorphic mascots never lie.

Tater

September 11th, 2009 at 12:07 AM ^

UM 24, ND 14.

Jimmah sentenced to "Death Roh" early, loses "it" factor. UM makes plenty of freshman/sophomore mistakes, but has enough to pull this one out.

TTUwolverine

September 11th, 2009 at 12:17 AM ^

I'm going to take the road less traveled and say that this will be a defensive, low-scoring game. Notre Dame's D will be prepared and make Tate and Co. look like freshman, forcing us to pound the rock with Minor and stick to short passes. Our Dline will get to Clausen on more than a few occasions and the secondary will surprise us all and eliminate the deep threat. Warren has two INT's, and ND coughs it up 4 times total. Denard breaks another long run for a TD, and Tate hits Koger for a short TD after a brutally long drive at the end of the 4th to seal it.

14-3 Michigan.

wooderson

September 11th, 2009 at 12:31 AM ^

I almost hit it right on the nose last week, so I'm feeling good about my pick this week. I think it's going to be close, I was glad to see our kicking game looked respectable last week. Have to figure we'll run the ball a little better this week too. 30-28 UM.

TTUwolverine

September 11th, 2009 at 12:50 AM ^

but is anyone else annoyed by the "last year we did X against ND and lost due to Y, so this year we will definitely do X - Y + some extra and we'll win" argument? Yes, we have gotten a lot better, but so has Notre Dame. They are not the same 6-6 team they were when we "should have beaten them," regardless of the fact that they are the same players. We won't turn the ball over 6 times, but that won't guarantee us a win like many people seem to believe.

end mini-rant

the_big_house 500th

September 11th, 2009 at 1:43 AM ^

Why the hell are there Michigan fans in this blog fearing Notre Dame this Saturday? WTF kind of fans are you?! I go into every game as a fan prepared and pysched for a great game. You go into a game with fear you lose either way. It's a game right? And there's a chance of winning right? OF COURSE THERE IS A DAMN GOOD CHANCE! They have to come to our stadium our Big House and play a perfect game against us if they want to win. God people lets get some spirit some rallying going instead of "let's be realistic" Lets Be Optimistic damn it! Instead of "lets face the facts" how about Let's Show Them What We can Do! "Instead of a close loss" how about an Amazing Win! God damn let's support and fight through this game not dread or doubt it. HAIL TO THE VICTORS! Saturday belongs to us in our house!

CrankThatDonovan

September 11th, 2009 at 10:30 AM ^

This blog is not, and has never been about, wild optimism. It is about honest analysis, an understanding of the team that we have, not the team that we want. Michigan is sorely lacking depth in the secondary. It sucks, but that's how it is. Notre Dame wins games through the air. It does not make us bad fans to look at this situation objectively and predict a Notre Dame victory.

I'm not going to show up on Saturday grumbling, or tell others that we will lose so why bother. I will be excited, I will cheer, and I will hope that we win just as much as you do. But if we lose, I will not freak out and say things like "this is unacceptable!" like plenty of irrational fans surely will.

Chester Copperpot

September 11th, 2009 at 2:03 AM ^

17-16 Michigan. I have a feeling the young QBs will struggle out of the gate, whether it's nerves, being too amped up, etc. They'll play ugly well into the 3rd quarter, but still be hanging around in striking distance. A late 4th quarter TD drive will be necessary, highlighted by converting a couple tough 3rd downs. Tate finds Koger in the endzone for the go ahead score and the eventual winner. Bonus points to this prediction if Woolfolk picks off Clausen on ND's last potential game-winning drive. Extra bonus points if ABC cuts to Jimmah crying on the sideline, or at the very least holding his head down with a towel shielding us from seeing the tears.

kjydmd

September 11th, 2009 at 3:45 AM ^

I think the defenses will actually do better than most people think. I give the edge to Michigan with the better running game, and ability to sustain longer drives.

foreverbluemaize

September 11th, 2009 at 7:22 AM ^

I think RR opens up the playbook on old front butt and we hammer on them for 60 minutes. Our D won't stop them but our time of posession will limit them. Final 56-28 UM. Monday, when the rankings come out we have a number to the left of our name for the first time since 2007, and lastly the allegations against RR are all put to bed as absolute lies and are taken as nothing more than sour grapes from fatties like Boren.
Hey, this is my story I'll tell it anyway I want to. GO BLUE!!!!

MH20

September 11th, 2009 at 8:16 AM ^

UM 27
ND 24

Michigan will gash ND's suspect run defense for large chunks of yards. If Minor plays (and it looks like he will, plz God thx) he and Brown should be able to do some nice damage. Clausen hits a long one but is also harassed and sacked several times, and BG alss gets to him a few times right at release to give M a dead-duck interception. Tate and Denard manage the ball and break off a few long gains (pass/run).

Go Blue!

myrtlebeachmai…

September 11th, 2009 at 8:23 AM ^

They burn us once or twice, maybe get a penalty-aided drive; but I think we're more consistent driving it and field position wins for us; Jimmy can't get as lucky as last week again (when his wr's had superglue on their hands (they're not at home this time).

Hannibal.

September 11th, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^

ND 34-27. Man I hope I'm wrong but we're still a year away.

Funny thing is: I'm not all that concerned with the victory as much as the game being indicative of how we'll play this season. I wasn't expecting to be 4-0 headed into East Lansing and I would be satisfied with 3-1. But this Saturday I'm hungry to see a team that can win 4 games in the Big 10.