The storied Notre Dame and Michigan series is back, at least for two seasons.
The long-time rivals square off on September 1st, a night game in Notre Dame Stadium. It marks the first time since 2014 these two programs, which are two of the most storied programs in the history of college football, meet.
September 1st will mark the 43rd game between the rivals, with the Wolverines owning a 24-17-1 advantage. Michigan won eight of the first nine matchups, which were played between 1887 and 1909. The next two meetings were a home-and-home in 1942 and 1943, with the Wolverines winning the first matchup 32-20 and the Irish getting revenge with a 35-12 victory the following season.
From 1944 to 1977 the series was dormant, but it picked up again in 1978. The two teams would play each other in all but six seasons from 1978 to 2014. The modern era (post-World War II) record tied, so this season’s matchup will come with some bragging rights.
Blue & Gold Illustrated senior editor Lou Somogyi and TheWolverine.com senior editor Chris Balas have covered these two programs for a combined 55 years of experience covering these two storied programs, and at least one of them has covered every game of this matchup since 1985.
Over the next two weeks Somogyi and Balas will share their thoughts on a number of different topics regarding this series.
We begin with a discussion about the rivalry, and what it means.
Question: What is the first thing that comes to mind when someone says, “Notre Dame vs. Michigan?”
Somogyi: It oozes college football, and the antipathy that can sometimes exist between such provincial schools.
Maybe the two most famous Fight Songs, perhaps the two most distinguished and recognized helmets, two schools separated by not many miles, and, for the most part, the top two programs in winning percentage throughout our lifetime.
What also makes a great rivalry is competitive balance. In the 31 meetings between the two programs since 1978, the series is 15-15-1.
There also appears to be a deep rooted and unmanufactured dislike between the two fan bases. From the Notre Dame fan’s perspective, they sense a jealousy from the Wolverine partisans because Michigan was at the forefront of blackballing Notre Dame from Big Ten membership in the early 1900s — yet it is the Fighting Irish who ultimately gained more acclaim nationally. This includes winning 11 consensus national titles from 1924-88, while Michigan has won only two during that time, 1948 and 1997, with the latter shared.
I also think there was always a resentment by Notre Dame fans toward Bo Schembechler (1969-89) when he stated all Big Ten games are more important than Notre Dame. Yet when Michigan men’s basketball won the 1989 national title, I remember Schembechler, also the athletic director at the time, was quoted as saying, “This is better than beating Notre Dame.”
Balas: Desmond Howard. Joe Montana vs. Rick Leach. Rocket Ismail. Tim Brown and Tim Biakabutuka. Reggie Ho, Remy Hamilton and Harry Oliver. Rick Mirer.
So many great performances over the years on both sides, and so many incredible games that have come down to the wire for a rivalry in which there really haven’t been that many games. There are five or six contests (at least) that come to mind immediately as classics, from the Oliver game to Remy Hamilton’s kick in 1994, Reggie Ho’s makes and Mike Gillette’s miss in 1988, Lou Holtz’ decision to sit on the ball during the 1992 tie game and Denard Robinson’s comeback (in 2011).
One realization over the years in this one — you’ve got to expect the unexpected. I remember riding a bus from parking to the 2004 game, sitting next to an old Irish fan who said he felt like he was on his way to a funeral. It was a week after the Irish had lost at BYU. I told him, “This is going to be a game. Don’t be surprised if Notre Dame wins” (the Irish did, 28-20).
It’s cliché, but yeah — anything can happen.
Question: How important has this rivalry been during your career?
Somogyi: Since the renewal of the rivalry on an almost yearly basis from 1978-2014 (exceptions in 1983-84, 1995-96 and 2000-01), this game has been a tone setter, an acid test of which direction Notre Dame’s season might be heading.
A victory over Michigan doesn’t necessarily assure prosperity — a la a 7-5 regular season in 2014 despite the 31-0 win over the Wolverines — but nothing is a greater buzz kill in September, or a new season, than losing to ‘that team up north” in September.
In the 31 times the two teams have met since 1978 (again 15-15-1), only once has Notre Dame finished in the top 10 after losing to Michigan — and that was in that first meeting in 1978 (No. 7) with quarterback Joe Montana, following an 0-2 start. That pretty much tells the story.
Balas: It was more important, obviously, when both teams were really good at the same time and relevant nationally. Especially in the 1980s and 1990s, what happened in this game often determined what kind of season each team was going to have, and an early loss was devastating in that there was no playoff, so any hope of a national championship was an even longer shot.
But make no mistake — this is a game Michigan wants to win badly. Notre Dame’s refusal to join the Big Ten has helped fuel the rivalry. From a recruiting standpoint, Lloyd Carr always used to say he never thought wins and losses in this game were the deciding factors when it came to individual recruits, noting the differences in the campuses and environments, but kids want to win. The atmosphere at the 2011 night game, the first in Michigan football history, and the result was a huge recruiting boost.
One memory from the 1999 game, when Michigan stopped the Irish at the 12-yard line to hold on for a 26-22 win — safety Tommy Hendricks crying tears of joy and relief after the win — pretty much sums up the importance of this rivalry to the players.
Question: How does this rivalry compare to other top rivalries for the programs, USC for Notre Dame and Ohio State/Michigan State for Michigan?
Somogyi: In the same way Notre Dame can never supplant Ohio State as Michigan’s top rival, neither can the Wolverines move ahead of USC. A main reason is from 1910 to 1977, Notre Dame and Michigan met only twice. Thus, the tradition aspect is not as deep between the two schools.
Plus, Ohio State-Michigan is more league based, while Notre Dame-USC is national in scope with nearly two dozen national titles between the two.
Noteworthy is that since 1994, Notre Dame has played Michigan and USC in the same season 17 times. Only once in that span did the Irish defeat both — 2012, when they finished the regular season 12-0 and played for the national title.
Balas: Ohio State is No. 1, even though that’s obviously been a strange rivalry the past 30 years or so. Michigan owned it during John Cooper’s tenure, going 10-2-1, while the Buckeyes are 15-2 since selling their soul and hiring Jim Tressel in 2002. Michigan fans are ready for that one to even out a bit.
Before the Rich Rodriguez error, Notre Dame would probably have been No. 2 on that list. Michigan State’s resurgence, however, and the fact that the Spartans are in conference puts MSU right up there with the Irish. Michigan vs. Michigan State is an annual affair, too, while it’s now hit or miss as to when the Wolverines face Notre Dame.
But the Irish are a natural enemy, and that will always be a huge rivalry game for Michigan.
NOTE: Check back tomorrow for part two of this series looking back at the Notre Dame/Michigan rivalry.
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