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For fans across the country, this week has been anticipated simply because it marks the return of college football.

The Notre Dame faithful in particular have been eager for this week to arrive with the Irish set to host rival Michigan to open the 2018 campaign.

Head coach Brian Kelly took the podium for his weekly in-season Tuesday press conference to discuss the Wolverines and his team heading into the matchup.

“My folder, which has all of my notes and breakdowns of opponents, is quite full this week,” Kelly began. “Michigan is an outstanding football team, it certainly is exciting for our football team to finally get into game week and that game preparation the last few days has been one of managing the focus and concentration as you kind of flip the switch and get ready to play somebody. It’s been about eight months since we have played a football game.

“It seems like a lot of preparation to actually get to a game. So you can imagine our guys are excited about now getting into the game week preparation and playing an outstanding football team in the University of Michigan.”

It’s a matchup both programs are certainly looking forward to given the history between the two sides.

“Great football team, again, a great matchup for us,” Kelly stated. “We’re excited about it. This is something that Jim Harbaugh and I wanted to get on the schedule — and be careful what you wish for, but I think it's great for college football.

“We’re excited about this matchup, we think it’s great for college football, and I know our kids and our coaches can’t wait for Saturday night.”

The Wolverines will trot out a new quarterback in 2018 with Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson named the starter for Harbaugh and company.

In seven games in 2017, Patterson completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 2,259 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Despite playing just more than half the season, Patterson’s individual numbers eclipsed Michigan’s totals from a year ago, which came out to 2,226 passing yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 contests.

Michigan’s offense will likely look a bit different with Patterson at the helm given his skill set with more spread elements compared to the past with Harbaugh's typical pro-style offense.

“Shea Patterson will come in and run their offense quite well,” Kelly said. “Again an experienced player in the SEC, very talented, can throw it, he’s athletic, can keep plays alive. I think he's a guy that will get the football out to some talented players.

“There’s no real identity that has been established from a Michigan offense right now.”

Patterson will have some notable weapons to lean on with returning running backs Karan Higdon and Chris Evans, who combined for more than 1,600 rushing yards in 2017. Higdon finished with 994 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago, while Evans added 685 yards and six scores.

“Certainly two running backs with a lot of Big Ten experience,” Kelly said. “Higdon and Evans complement each other extremely well. … I could go on and on.

“I think everybody has heard the lead up to Michigan. We have a great deal of respect for them.”

The playmakers on the outside took a hit when wide receiver Tarik Black suffered a foot injury that will force him to miss the Notre Dame game and possibly more. However, wide receiver Grant Perry and tight ends Zach Gentry and Sean McKeon — who combined to catch 73 passes for 911 yards six touchdowns last year — are all back.

“Wide receiver Nico Collins will be a very, very good receiver for them, along with Donovan People-Jones, who we know quite well and is a talented, talented receiver,” Kelly explained. “Two very good tight ends who will be featured.

“So this is an offense with weapons that Patterson will get the ball to, disburse the football around and again I think it is extremely talented and certainly one [team] that will pose a great challenge for us.”

Michigan’s offensive line struggled a year ago allowing 36 sacks, but the group is ascending in the mind of Kelly.

“From an offensive standpoint, you’re talking about an offense that returns some very good offensive linemen that have experience,” Kelly said. “I think they have put the pieces in the right place on the offensive line.

“Cesar Ruiz goes back to center, which is a natural position. Jon Runyan at tackle, I think they have now, where I think they all fit together quite nicely.”

Much of the attention when it comes to Michigan goes to the defense, which returns several players from last year’s stellar group. The Wolverines ranked 13th nationally in scoring defense (18.8 points allowed per game) in 2017.

It starts up front with junior defensive end Rashan Gary, who totaled 67 tackles, 12 stops for loss and six sacks a year ago.

“Gary is a Bradley Chubb-like player and we know what kind of player he was last year [at NC State],” Kelly stated. “I'm not comparing or contrasting, but we know what kind of player he was, taken in the top few picks of the NFL Draft.”

However, the talent isn't limited to Gary. Fifth-year senior defensive end Chase Winovich, who had 77 total stops,18 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2017, also returns.

“It doesn't end there,” Kelly began. “[Defensive tackle Aubrey] Solomon — I mean, I could go down my list, I've got more notes on their defensive line maybe than any group that I've had, other than maybe North Carolina State last year, Georgia; those three are groups of defensive linemen that rate out at a high level.”

The second and third levels of the defense could make their own arguments for most talented areas of the Michigan defense.

Linebackers Devin Bush and Khaleke Hudson combined for 182 stops, 27 tackles for loss and 13 sacks last season. In addition, cornerbacks David Long and Lavert Hill are considered one of the best tandems in the country.

“Hudson, I mean, he stood out at all three levels of the defense last year,” Kelly said. “That's pretty hard to do. Outstanding player. Bush, [fellow linebacker Noah] Furbush, these are really, really good football players and I'm really repeating what probably you already know about an outstanding defense.

“Hill and Long are great corners, got some depth at the position as well. They’re coached by Donny Brown, who I know very well, have a great deal of respect for and what he’s accomplished as a defensive coordinator.”

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