Michigan Football: Upcoming Notre Dame Matchup a Boost to Rivalry's Lore

Michigan and Notre Dame will meet Saturday, Sept 10, for the 39th time.

The two teams will play before a national television audience in prime time before what might be college football’s largest crowd ever.

Another chapter in the historic rivalry will be written before nearly 114,000 fans in Ann Arbor’s Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines will usher in new coach, Brady Hoke, who will have one game under his belt. Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly will be only one game into his second season.

The Wolverines come into the season on a optimistic note, despite being disappointments the last three years under Rich Rodriguez.

Kelly rallied the Irish during the second half of 2011, winning its final four games, including victories over Southern Cal and Miami (FL).

The wins helped vault the Irish to 18th in the this season's first USA Today/Coaches' Poll. Michigan will begin the season 34th.

The Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry dates back to 1879, when a group of Michigan players ventured to South Bend in hopes of teaching the sport to Notre Dame.

The Wolverine must have kept something on the table, winning the first eight meetings before Notre Dame was victorious for the first time in 1909.

The rivalry is loaded with tradition, and, of course, excellent football games. Let’s take a look.   

Key Figures

Most NCAA Victories

Michigan  884

Texas 850

Notre Dame 845

Highest NCAA Winning Percentage

Michigan .73453

Notre Dame .73266

Texas .71730

Season Series

Michigan 22, Notre Dame 15, Ties: 1

National Championships

 Michigan 11, Notre Dame 11 

Traditions

From the inspiring Michigan band entrance to Notre Dame’s “leprechaun,” both schools are masters of college football tradition. 

The two fight songs, Michigan’s “…Victors” and Notre Dame’s “Victory March” are unequalled when it comes to popularity.

Each team also has a rather unusual tradition, but both have entertained fans for years.

During halftime of the final home game each season, Notre Dame seniors conduct what might be the world’s largest marshmallow fight.  At one point, fans thought the battle was too benign. So they began stuffing the marshmallows with pennies, in hopes of making them more aerodynamic.

Michigan’s student section has its own fun and games. This novel activity actually began at Wolverine hockey games, where Notre Dame supporters have always been welcome.

Since the hockey fans weren’t adorned with “legitimate” cheerleaders, they used their own intellect to create effective cheers.

Even though university officials are often displeased with the content, much of the verbiage has found its way to the Big House. 

The Little Big House

If you've ever visited Notre Dame Stadium, you'd probably see more than a resemblance to the Big House.

Before Michigan's recent expansion, Notre Dame was practically a carbon copy.

Back in 1929, Osborn Engineering of Cleveland "borrowed" the plans from two-year-old Michigan Stadium. The project, which was overseen by the legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne,  cost upwards of $750,000. The stadium opened in 1930 with a capacity of 59,075. It was later expanded to 80,795 in 1997.

Michigan Stadium opened in 1927 with a capacity of 72,000. It currently holds 109,901,  but the Wolverines basically count everybody, so the 2010 Michigan-Connecticut game set a new NCAA attendance record of 113,090.

Future expansions to the Big House could bring capacity above 120,000.        

1947: Co-National Champs

In 1947, Michigan and Notre Dame didn't meet on the gridiron, but they did meet in the polls.

Coach Fritz Crisler's Wolverines finished the season 10-0, but were ranked No. 2 by the AP behind Notre Dame.

Crisler was known for the two-platoon system, and his single-wing offense.

Named the "Mad Magicians",  the Wolverines took all of their tricks to Pasadena, and drubbed the USC Trojans, 49-0, in the Rose Bowl.

Notre Dame, who defeated Southern Cal, 38-7, three weeks earlier, didn't play in a bowl game.

Perhaps the AP voters forgot about Notre Dame, so they held a special post-bowl vote and crowned Michigan champions. All was not lost for Notre Dame, Both schools were selected National Champion by other voting groups. 

1989: Notre Dame 24, Michigan 19

For the second time in the series, No. 2 Michigan hosted No. 1 Notre Dame.

Both times the Fighting Irish came out on top. Back in 1943, the No. 2 Wolverines lost to No. 1 Notre Dame 35-12, and this time the Irish prevailed 24-19.

The difference in this game was Notre Dame kick returner Raghib "Rocket" Ismael. 

On two occasions, the Rocket burned Michigan with long kickoff returns for touchdowns. Ismael ran the second half kickoff back 88 yards for a score, then did it again from 92 yards out with 12:46 left in the game.

The other key to the matchup was Notre Dame's stout defense, which held Michigan to 94 yards rushing.

2010: Michigan 28 , Notre Dame 24

Sophomore quarterback Denard "Shoelace" Robinson torched the Notre Dame defense for 502 total yards—but he had to score from two yards out to give Michigan a come-from-behind 28-24 victory.

Notre Dame, which was forced to play three quarterbacks, scored on a 95-yard pass to Kyle Rudolph with 3:41 left to take a 24-21 lead.

Robinson, who set a Notre Dame Stadium record with an 87-yard touchdown run, ran for 258 yards and passed for 244.

Crist, who missed a huge part of the first half, threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns.