Notre Dame @ Michigan 9/10 8p.m.

[therepublican]

Welp, here we go. Two historical rivals playing for the first time under the lights in the Big House. Notre Dame comes off a horrible performance against USF racking up five turnovers (two in the endzone and one on the 1 yard line in the red zone). It appears Tommy Rees will be moved to starting QB, but Kelly won't announce until later today. I didn't get to see the Michigan game so possibly PEAKE can chime in a bit to give us his take on Michigan's game vs Western Michigan and what is projected against ND.

I'm looking for a good hard nose game between both programs, but I think Michigan has the edge going into this week with all the confusion at the QB position in the Bend.

Let's get your thoughts!

[91blue14]

notre dame in a close one

[Peake]

To be honest, I hate this rivalry. It really is too difficult for both schools to maintain this game. Notre Dame plays teams like USC, Michigan, Michigan State, Stanford, etc. Michigan on the other hand plays Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska, etc.

To me this game needs to end for the betterment of both schools. Ok, enough with my rant.

I have said for several years that Notre Dame has the most skilled offensive players we face every year, but somehow they always find a way to blow the game to a less talented UM team.

I feel this year the talent may be spread out a little better on both sides and it should make for another great game.

I have a lot of respect for Floyds talent, I thought he was the most explosive WR in the country last year, it just seems sometimes he forgets to show up. I am praying this is what happens this year. Last season Floyd was under used v UM and boy we were thankful for it.

I know there is no way ND lets Denard run all over them again. I think they will commit 8 in the box and dare Denard or the UM running game to beat them.

I look for two things, who can avoid turnovers (UM had 0 while ND had 5), and who will convert in the redzone. I don't think either teams D is that great, so I am looking for who can bend but not break.

Its a big game and my heart is telling me to take UM while my brain says Notre Dame.

Michigan 21
Notre Dame 24

[therepublican]

Thanks for the chime in PEAKE!

Uff, I feel a little different..I love this game every year and totally look foward to it and would much rather remove Stanford from our schedule. I feel MU might take this one from ND, but my heart says ND. I think MU 23 ND 21..just a little flip flop from yours, but MU always seems to figure out how to win at the end when playing ND. Floyd is a beast, I think he will be much more invloved this year than any year before. I do believe he got hurt last year in this game..slicing open his knee on a TD..??? maybe that was Michigan St. Floyd set his career high mark with 12 catches in last Saturday's game..I look for him to be on his game again, because Tommy Rees always uses Floyd to his advantage (For blocks or receiving) and goes to him a lot more than Crist.


My issue is ND's performance vs. USF. It was totally a set back from what I saw them accomplishing. I had no problem with one or two turnovers, but 5?! When you have 5 turnovers, you have a problem. Theo Riddick is a coveted kick returner, but the man couldn't catch a punt return..he muffed one for a fumble and dropped another one in which he had to fall on it. Our Kicker missed a 25-30 yard field goal which would have eventually been the tying points of the game. I think ND has a lot to get fixed in the next three days or else it will not be pretty.

[pbuck]

GO BLUE !

[Bleeding Red]

I think ND will be a better team with Rees at QB. I dont see ND being better than 7-5 this year, but I do see them pulling out a very slim win over Michigan.

Michigan will score points, but I think they are held to under 28 pts in this game. Michigan's defense is going to struggle a bit this year and if ND controls the turnovers, they will pull it out.

I will predict:

With fewer than 2 ND turnovers, they win 28-21

With more, Michigan wins 35-28

[farmer]

The blow ups by their head coach during the game if ND does not improve they may not have a head coach very long. It doesn't seem that all of the ND players are ready to play every play. They have a week to try to get things turned around.

I didn't see the UM game but they have something in common with ND that both teams played extended games with the bad weather. With the stops in the games makes it a little harder to know how each team has changed from last year. So I would think that UM has the advantage because of the home field along. I like this series because it forces both teams to be ready to play early in the season. They are not to far apart and the fans really get into the game.

[seofan_via_dublin]

You can't take away the turnovers against USF, but boy if you could, ND would have kicked the crap out of USF!

Can they avoid the turnovers against UM, they will be able to move the ball fairly easily, but they MUST avoid the stupid penalty and the turnover.

If, and only if they can avoid these issues, then I think ND is good to cover the 4.5 that they opened at, and if they don't turn it over at all, then I think they are 7-10 points better, even on the road!

I would focus on DR and the running game, and make them beat them through the air. It won't happen!!!

All that said, what I'd really like to see is, a meteor hit the stadium at about 8:45 pm!

[noreply66]

If ND starts out like last week Meatchicken will come away with the W

[JChipwood]

UM is 10 - 14 points better than USF so if ND comes out like they did against USF it will be over by halftime. I don't see ND eliminating the mistakes and silly penalties under Kelly, I really don't. He has a good offensive mind but ND is not UC and things won't come as easy in South Bend as they did in Cinci. Teams on ND schedule are not only talented but also physical and Kelly wasn't exposed to that at Cinci, ask RR the difference in playing finesse teams compared to teams with speed and quickness and also the size to be physical football players.

I say UM by 16, sounds silly but I think they make a statement this week against a so so football team.

[Orange and Brown]

Meatchicken by 20

[FANOSPORTS]

I still don't believe Michigan will have much of a defense this year against decent teams (much like last year) and you don't know which Notre Dame offense will show up so with that being said: Notre Dame 35 Michigan 31

[therepublican]

Tommy Rees has been named the starter for ND vs Michigan. Do or die.

[Peake]

Can't beat you through the air huh Dubs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JTVpUV5iTg&feature=fvst

Translation if they don't have a good day v OSU then they can't against anyone. OSU fans, gotta love'em.

[therepublican]

PEAKE, let's remember one thing..I think it will be hard to evaluate ND this year vs Michigan because ND last year threw in 4 QB's vs Michicagn to try them out. It was ugly because no Qb was set in place...and let's face it, Nate Montana sucked. I think ND's offense will be much better than last year and much more stable this week after USF simply because Tommy Rees will be in for all 4 quarters.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Michigan can't beat you through the air...
...unless your defense SUCKS!

That better Peake?

[therepublican]

Michigan can't beat you through the air...
...unless your defense SUCKS!

That better Peake?

I flippin love College Football... ^^^^^^

[1987chieftains]

Michigan can't beat you through the air...
...unless your defense SUCKS!

That better Peake?

I flippin love College Football... ^^^^^^

thank god for football season!!!!
it was getting boring around here.

[Peake]

I guess not Dubs, sorry we can't go play the 1-11 Akron Zips right off the bat and then act like we just beat the Cowboys. Listen when your sorry 27 year old QB looks like Mike Vick running around, you know the team you just played is awful.

Good luck against St. Ann school of the blind after Toledo, sorry was Capital or Wooster not available to play this week?

Anyways, to be honest I don't know what is going to happen this week. Obviously according to OSU fans we should just cancel our season because we are that bad.

[Charge]

peake, Michigan doesn't like playing small schools because they are afraid they will get beat by one again.