ND 13
UM 6
Six damn points? Although frankly, it's arguable which is more surprising, Michigan scoring six points or Notre Dame being a pass interference call by a true freshman away from only kicking field goals against the much-maligned UM defense. Every single expert predicted a shootout. I guess it's hard to forecast almost double-digit turnovers.
Both teams stink. Yes, BOTH teams. Michigan is just too sloppy to beat a top 25 team, let alone beat one on the road. Michigan outgained Notre Dame, moved the ball steadily and regularly down the field only to shoot themselves in the foot time and time again. Six redzone visits and two field goals. Bleh. After UM came away with zero points after their first two posessions, which instead should've been 14 or at least 10 points, you got the feeling that the inability to take advantage spelled DOOM.
Michigan outplayed Notre Dame except of course in the one area that matters: scoreboard. They let a very winnable road game slip away. That's the very simple difference between good teams and bad/mediocre teams.
Notre Dame will move up into the top 10. Probably undeservedly play in a BCS game and get annihilated. As usual.
This game had an eerie similarity to the Bears-Packers game last week. The Bears let a savory opportunity slip away due to too many mistakes. The win was there to be had. Slipped away. Frustrating.
Arrgh!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Michigan - ND: Ah, Memories
As Kramer said: "The cat is...out of the bag."
I used to be a Notre Dame fan. A massive Notre Dame fan - an actual fanatic. Some of my earliest sports memories revolved around my love of Notre Dame football. I remember Rocket returning 2 kicks for touchdowns. I remember Tony Rice running the option to perfection. I remember my brief catatonic state as Rocket's punt return was called back on the phantom clipping penalty. I remember walking in to my Bar Mitzvah introduction to, what else, Wake up the Echoes. I remember Kevin McDougal inextricably beating Michigan in the Big House.
Then it changed.
My acceptance letter came and poof. Gone. Traded in my blue and gold for maize and blue. Touchdown Jesus for, um, well UofM doesn't need any assistance from the almighty.
As it happened, my first Michigan game as a student (and as defending national champions) was a loss to the Fighting Irish. Of course.
Michigan is 8-5 against the Irish, including winning 5 of the last 6, since I said yes to Ann Arbor. People always ask me if there's any part of me that still roots for Notre Dame. Putting aside all the riff-raff surrounding Notre Dame's unwarranted exposure and unnecessary hype....the answer is NO!
Go Blue!!
I used to be a Notre Dame fan. A massive Notre Dame fan - an actual fanatic. Some of my earliest sports memories revolved around my love of Notre Dame football. I remember Rocket returning 2 kicks for touchdowns. I remember Tony Rice running the option to perfection. I remember my brief catatonic state as Rocket's punt return was called back on the phantom clipping penalty. I remember walking in to my Bar Mitzvah introduction to, what else, Wake up the Echoes. I remember Kevin McDougal inextricably beating Michigan in the Big House.
Then it changed.
My acceptance letter came and poof. Gone. Traded in my blue and gold for maize and blue. Touchdown Jesus for, um, well UofM doesn't need any assistance from the almighty.
As it happened, my first Michigan game as a student (and as defending national champions) was a loss to the Fighting Irish. Of course.
Michigan is 8-5 against the Irish, including winning 5 of the last 6, since I said yes to Ann Arbor. People always ask me if there's any part of me that still roots for Notre Dame. Putting aside all the riff-raff surrounding Notre Dame's unwarranted exposure and unnecessary hype....the answer is NO!
Go Blue!!
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