A tougher game than I would have thought at this point last week. I expected Michigan State to be in Notre Dame's backfield all night (via the 2 and 4 holes) and crush Notre Dame's offense....and that Notre Dame would run it down Michigan's throat and go 1-1 against the state. Now, with Jamoris Slaughter out, this game worries me.

Notre Dame, after a two-game haitus, will probably start to run the ball well again. I thus expect Golson--who has done pretty damn well (knock on wood) this season--to have a balanced offense and do well too, it'll help having Eifert and Daniels back to full strength. I expect, when Michigan loads the box, for Chris Brown to run right past Kovacs for a touchdown.

Then again, who is to say Michigan's DC doesn't call all sorta of blitzes right at Golic and fuck the running game up and all sorts of Golson fumbles? :thumbdown:

When Michigan is on offense, I expect the Irish DL to control the LOS....but Michigan's WRs are much, much better than MSU's and that is what primarily worries me. Does ND blitz and allow Denard to have his way with the underclassmen in the secondary? Can the DBs cover Michigan's WRs?

Either way, fuck Michigan. I would guess the spread to be ND -8.

Prediction: Michigan will find some bullshit way to score with four seconds left like that have the last three years....

2009: Tate Forcier throws a touchdown with 11 seconds left to beat #18 Notre Dame 38-34.

[video=youtube;1rTOuB0rQtM][/video]

2010: Denard Robinson runs for a touchdown with 27 seconds left to beat a 1-0 Notre Dame team 28-24.

[video=youtube;et3_UXSHugc] 9s[/video]

2011: Denard Robinson throws a touchdown with 2 seconds left to beat Notre Dame 35-31.

[video=youtube;zSZeKhPMlXc][/video]

....but I'm guessing the score is like 26-16 ND.

Spread opened at ND -3.5

karen lotz;1273099 wrote:Spread opened at ND -3.5

Vegas like the four-point victories to continue.

Very impressed with ND's defense last night (even though MSU has some serious issues).

Should be another great game:

ND 34
UM 27

Notre Dame 31-21 Would love to see them lose but it ain't gonna happen. Michigan will struggle on defense to stop the run making them vulnerable to the play action pass. Denard will probably get his but that will be about it for the Michigan offense.

ND's front 7 has been very tough so far. But it's going to be a test to contain a mobile QB who can escape pressure and give his WRs more time to get open. The secondary is still shaky. And without Slaughter, it's going to be even tougher.

But I think ND's offense will do well. They should be able to run the ball against Michigan, and that should take some pressure off of Golson.

With this game being at home, I think ND breaks the recent streak. It's going to be close, but I'm going to say ND wins this one 20-14.

ND, at home, raises it's record to 4-0.....Irish 28 tsun 24

ND will win the battle up front on both sides of the ball, and that will be the difference. ND will force Michigan to the air, and that never fares well for them. I think ND will just ram it down Michigan's throat. Our DL is weak this year.

ND 24 Michigan 14

I want this game as much as any game on the schedule after 3 straight years of last second heartbreak at the hands of Michigan. I love the way ND's defense is playing but the secondary is still a huge concern and even moreso now with Slaughter done for the year. I don't see Michigan running the ball effectively but Denard's big play ability worries me as it should after the last two years. I mean, last year we had experienced corners and a huge lead and he was throwing jump balls and our CB's looked like they forgot how to play the game. So if that could happen last year it could happen again. I won't feel comfortable until this game is over after the last 3 years of thinking ND had done enough to win only to have the Wolverines pull it out with late game heroics. Get Eifert involved this week and keep taking care of the football. Go Irish

They mentioned this during the UMass game, but their HC was Brian Kelly's right hand man for the past 6 years. Hopefully Matteson and our Defensive Staff were able to pull something meaningful away from the UMass scheme and use it for prep this week vs. ND.

I can't wait for Saturday.

I think i just got two tickets to the game

karen lotz;1273545 wrote:I think i just got two tickets to the game

I hate you lol

Yeah wasn't expecting it at all, just got a text from a friend that lives in Jacksonville that his dad has two at face value i can have.

Saw a tweet today that average price online is over $600 a ticket.

What is face for ND these days?

Michigan and Stanford are $83, rest are $73 this year. I'm not sure but i want to say the Miami have at soldier field is $178 lol.

$178?? wow...$83 not bad at all--enjoy!

sjmvsfscs08;1273094 wrote:

Prediction: Michigan will find some bullshit way to score with four seconds left like that have the last three years....

2009: Tate Forcier throws a touchdown with 11 seconds left to beat #18 Notre Dame 38-34.

2010: Denard Robinson runs for a touchdown with 27 seconds left to beat a 1-0 Notre Dame team 28-24.

2011: Denard Robinson throws a touchdown with 2 seconds left to beat Notre Dame 35-31.

.

LOL.

Prediction: U of M will beat ND outright.
Theory: If Brandon Weeden can have a good game at QB, so can D. "shoelace" Robinson.

said_aouita;1273591 wrote: Theory: If Brandon Weeden can have a good game at QB, so can D. "shoelace" Robinson.

yeah, here's a good comparison :rolleyes:

vball10set;1273594 wrote:yeah, here's a good comparison :rolleyes:

Don't take me too serious. Apologies to the Browns fans for the Weeden comment.

My comparison is similar feelings about the two qb's. Just not sure about shoelace. He's a heck of an athlete but I question some of his pass decisions.

ND is playing tough but I believe tsun plays a heck of a game and covers the spread easily.

(of course what the hell do I know....)

Has Notre Dame figured out how to defend the "Denard runs in circles and then throws the ball as far as he can downfield" pass play? If so, that takes away Michigan's best weapon from last year. It was a fun game to watch, but damn!

Heretic;1275071 wrote:Has Notre Dame figured out how to defend the "Denard runs in circles and then throws the ball as far as he can downfield" pass play? If so, that takes away Michigan's best weapon from last year. It was a fun game to watch, but damn!

He quit doing that after Alabama because he realized he doesn't have Hemingway to catch it.

There is no defense for the perfect armpunt.

Heretic;1275071 wrote:Has Notre Dame figured out how to defend the "Denard runs in circles and then throws the ball as far as he can downfield" pass play? If so, that takes away Michigan's best weapon from last year. It was a fun game to watch, but damn!

WebFire;1275074 wrote:He quit doing that after Alabama because he realized he doesn't have Hemingway to catch it.

lol--reps x2

WebFire;1275074 wrote:He quit doing that after Alabama because he realized he doesn't have Hemingway to catch it.

Ah, I just remember watching last year and thinking I was watching myself back in the day playing Tecmo Super Bowl. For those plays where you call a longer pass play, but the computer has everyone covered, so you just run around a bit and then heave a deep ball to your best receiver and hope the computer is on your side.

WebFire;1275074 wrote:He quit doing that after Alabama because he realized he doesn't have Hemingway to catch it.

Devin Funchess? It's 6'5"