Notre Dame Football: 10 Best Games in the Rivalry Against Michigan

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Notre Dame and Michigan. Two programs it seems that are parallel. They have shared the best of times, as well as the worst of times. They are the two winningest schools in college football history.

They also share history.

The two schools first met Nov. 23, 1887 and nine times over the next 13 years with Fielding Yost's Michigan Men dominating winning eight of the first nine.

Following the Irish win in 1909, Yost refused to schedule Notre Dame and also led an early Big Ten conference boycott of Notre Dame at a time when the Irish wanted to join.

Despite not playing one another for years, Michigan continued to be an influence on Notre Dame as legendary coach Knute Rockne commissioned the construction of Notre Dame Stadium (at one point even threatening resignation to attain funding from administration) patterned after Michigan Stadium.

The teams would not meet again until a home-and-home that the teams split in 1942 and 1943.

The two teams also shared a National Championship controversy in 1947, as each team completed undefeated 9-0 regular seasons. Notre Dame did not attend bowls in those days and concluded its season beating highly-ranked USC 38-7.

The National Championship was awarded to the Irish soon after, as was customary in that time (bowls were literally exhibition). Michigan went on to pound USC 49-0 in the Rose Bowl two months later, igniting a storm that resulted in the beginning of the championship methods we saw in practice until the BCS.

The regular series resumed as a regular tilt in 1978, and the two schools have only missed six years since.

Since the series returned, the schools are tied with a 13-13-1 record.

Saturday's first-ever night game in the Big House (that keeps getting bigger) will give one school a series lead.

Here is a look back at 10 notable games in Notre Dame vs. Michigan history.

10. Nov. 6, 1909: Notre Dame 11, Michigan 3

Notre Dame's first win over Michigan.

The win also partially shapes Notre Dame's future, as an angry Fielding Yost proceeded to not only not schedule the Irish for the rest of his life, but he also led a charge to prevent Notre Dame from joining the Big Ten.

Notre Dame remained independent and began the "Barnstorming" era that led to its rise in national popularity and the legend that the Irish program carries today.

9. Sept. 13, 1986: Michigan 24, Notre Dame 23

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Lou Holtz's first game as head coach at Notre Dame welcomed Michigan.

After the Faust era, Notre Dame fans were frustrated and hungry for anything positive.

The Irish never punted and ran up 455 yards of total offense on a Michigan defense that never grasped what Notre Dame was running at them.

A seemingly missed call ruling Irish TE Joel Williams out of bounds negated what would have been the winning points. Instead the game came down to a John Carney field goal attempt that went wide.

Despite the Irish loss, the Notre Dame Stadium crowd gave the team a standing ovation.

The game also marked the first time that a team not ranked entered the ensuing poll following a loss, as in defeat, the Irish jumped in to the AP poll at No. 20.

8. Sept. 12, 1992: Notre Dame 17, Michigan 17

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No. 5 Michigan and No. 3 Notre Dame played to a 17-17 tie at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish trailed 17-7 late before rallying to tie Michigan.

The game is also notable because Irish running back Reggie Brooks scored a touchdown after being knocked unconscious during the play. 

The result also irked many who felt the Irish were too conservative with the ball in the last minutes and that they played for the tie rather than going for the win.

For those of you who were born after 1990, there didn't used to be overtime in college football! If the clock reached 0:00 with the score tied, that was it!

8. Sept. 12, 2009: Michigan 38, Notre Dame 34

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Tate f'ing Forcier.

Today both Notre Dame and Michigan fans alike can share in their dislike of that young man.

On this day, however, Michigan Nation celebrated him as a hero since the Irish defense made him look like Hercules. Forcier's several long runs and picture-perfect, game-ending drive culminated with a touchdown pass leaving the Irish trailing and only 0:11 left on the clock.

The game is also remembered as a prime example of the Charlie Weis coaching method: Act as if it's Madden!

With the Irish holding a 34-31 lead with a little more than four minutes to play and the ball, Weis called back-to-back pass plays on second and third downs, both of which were dropped by receivers, stopping the clock.

Rather than being forced to expend their timeouts, the Wolverines were allowed to hang on to two of them, which were each instrumental in their game-winning drive.

7. Sept. 13, 2008: Notre Dame 35, Michigan 17

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Rich Rodriguez's first trip into Notre Dame Stadium became a catharsis of sorts for the Irish.

Following the absolute devastation on display all season in 2007 and a very, very shaky win to open the 2008 campaign against San Jose State, there were very dark clouds gathering on the horizon around the Notre Dame football program.

Michigan self-destructed all day, and the Irish capitalized, leaping out to a 28-7 second-quarter lead.

The figurative dark clouds gave way to actual ones, and the ensuing monsoon reduced both offenses to a standstill. The only second-half points were a fumble return for a touchdown by Brian Smith to seal the deal.

The game was a sloppy mess, but for an Irish fan, it was a very necessary beating of Michigan.

Unfortunately, it was also the Irish's most recent.

6. Oct. 9, 1943: Notre Dame 35, Michigan 14

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In Notre Dame's first matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2, the visiting Irish pounded Michigan.

For the second time, Michigan decided it was safer not to schedule Notre Dame, and the Wolverines and Irish did not meet again until 1978.

5. Sept. 11, 2010: Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24

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Denard Robinson ran for about a million yards as the Wolverines spoiled first-year Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly's rivalry debut.

Notre Dame sprinted through the Michigan defense on the opening possession of the game, scoring an easy touchdown to take an early lead.

However, on the drive, Irish QB Dayne Crist took a knee to the head and was held out of the game for the rest of the half.

True freshman Tommy Rees and walk-on Nate Montana combined for two interceptions and one first down for the remainder of the first half, allowing Michigan to go to the locker room with a 21-7 lead.

The Irish, behind a rejuvenated Crist, scored the game's next 17 points—including a Notre Dame Stadium record-long 96-yard touchdown pass from Crist to TE Kyle Rudolph to take the lead with only minutes remaining.

Unfortunately, the Irish defense could not answer the call, and Robinson could not be stopped.

Crist's last-gasp Hail Mary sailed into the student section, and Michigan held on for a win in an exciting back-and-forth affair.

4. Sept. 10, 2005: Notre Dame 17, Michigan 10

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After a surprising win in Charlie Weis' first game at Pittsburgh, the No. 23 Irish payed a visit to No. 3 Michigan.

The Irish, behind third-year starting QB Brady Quinn and Darius Walker, ran out to a 14-3 halftime lead.

The Irish could only manage a field goal in the second half, allowing Michigan to tighten the contest with a Henne-to-Manningham pass in the fourth quarter, but the Wolverines failed to convert a fourth down with only a minute left, and the Irish prevailed.

The back-to-back wins on the road were the first for a first-year Irish coach since Knute Rockne and propelled the Irish to No. 12 in the AP poll.

3. Sept. 11, 1993: Notre Dame 27, Michigan 23

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No. 11 Notre Dame traveled to Ann Arbor to face the No. 3 Wolverines in an era where both Michigan and Notre Dame figured into the national title picture every year.

The underdog Irish took a 27-10 third-quarter lead.

Late in the fourth, the Irish still led 27-16 and were poised to put the game out of reach before a goal-line stand ended with fullback Marc Edwards stuffed on a 4th-and-goal run.

Michigan proceeded to drive 99 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Notre Dame advantage to four.

Notre Dame recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt and held on to win.

The Irish surprised in 1993 with no-name QB Kevin McDougal bringing the Irish 1:09 from a perfect season before Boston College spoiled the title hopes in the regular-season finale.

Notre Dame finished ranked second in the nation behind Florida State, whom the Irish defeated earlier in the year.

2. Sept. 20, 1980: Notre Dame 29, Michigan 27

In the only installment of the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry in the modern era not nationally televised, the teams combined for five lead changes and a whole lot of excitement.

Notre Dame leaped out to a 14-0 lead, only to see Michigan rally to tie the game at halftime.

Michigan took the third-quarter kickoff and drove for a score to go up 21-14.

The Irish soon stood to even the score following a John Krimm interception return for a touchdown, but kicker Harry Oliver missed the extra point.

Notre Dame scored again to go ahead 26-21, but failed to convert a two-point attempt.

Michigan promptly hung another seven on the board to lead 27-26 before Oliver atoned for his missed extra point by drilling a 51-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Irish to a 29-27 victory.

1. Sept. 10, 1988: Notre Dame 19, Michigan 17

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No. 13 Notre Dame welcomes No. 9 Michigan to Notre Dame Stadium.

Irish coach Lou Holtz entered the game worried about his inexperienced offensive unit against a tough Wolverine defense and ran a fairly conservative game plan.

The Irish did not score an offensive touchdown, crossing the goal line only on Ricky Waters' 81-yard punt return.

Irish placekicker Reggie Ho twisted through four field goals, including the game-winner with 1:13 remaining.

Michigan had life yet and moved into Irish territory in the final seconds. Kicker Mike Gillette, who had put the Wolverines ahead with 5:34 remaining, saw the potential game-winner sail just wide as the clock ran out.

The Irish went on to win and ran the table, claiming the 1988 National Championship.

(Honorable Mention) Sept. 16, 1989: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19

Ragib Ismail returned a pair of kicks for touchdowns in a wet mess of a game. The Irish only attempted two passes in what turned out to be Bo Shembechler's final game in the series.

Notre Dame went on to win 12 games and finish No. 2, having their 23-game winning streak and back-to-back title hopes crushed by Miami at the Orange Bowl.