Let’s Remember Some Games: Under The Lights, Part One (2011 Notre Dame) September 9th, 2020 at 3:54 PM Ace September 9th, 2020 at 3:54 PM the first-half high point was a high point [ESPN screencap] Previously: Krushed By Stauskas (Illinois 2014), Introducing #ChaosTeam (Indiana 2009), Revenge is Terrifying (Colorado 1996), Four Games In September I (Boston College 1991), Four Games In September II (Boston College 1994), Four Games In September III (Boston College 1995), Four Games In September IV (Boston College 1996), Pac Ten After Dark Parts One and Two (UCLA 1989), Harbaugh’s Grand Return Parts One and Two (Notre Dame 1985), Deceptive Speed Parts One and Two (Purdue 1999) Week One: 1993 Washington Part One, Part Two, 2002 Washington Twitch stream This Game: Condensed game, WH highlights, box score, MGoPreview, Denard After Dentist, Offense UFR, Defense UFR, a Notre Dame fan’s live blog Lineup Cards! Brought to you by Seth. Click the images to embiggen. Michigan offense vs. Notre Dame defense: Michigan defense vs. Notre Dame offense: Michigan-Notre Dame is a sight to behold. Yes, the rivalry has lost its national luster. The Irish’s season-opening loss to USF ensures this is the third time in five games both teams enter the contest unranked; that hadn’t happened in the history of the rivalry until 2007. Notre Dame is in year two under Brian Kelly after the program bottomed out under Charlie Weis. Michigan is in year one under Brady Hoke (and offensive coordinator Al Borges) after Rich Rodriguez could only field half of a good team. The rivalry itself is still healthy, however. Despite being, well, not very good, the Wolverines have taken the last two games in the series, both last-minute triumphs featuring star-turning performances by Michigan quarterbacks—Tate Forcier in 2009 and Denard Robinson in 2010. Meanwhile, the two teams are playing in Michigan Stadium’s first-ever night game. As per usual with this game, nobody has a clue what to expect. Notre Dame turned the ball over five times in its season opener but only lost by three points. Michigan looked good against an overmatched Western Michigan squad but didn’t even complete three quarters before the game was called due to lightning. How little did we know? This was in Brian’s preview: The only thing we can take from the USF game is that Notre Dame has trouble defending bubble screens. The Bulls consistently racked up 5-10 yards despite the wholesale suck of Daniels. Chalk up some free yards on the outside. Chalk is easily erased, thankfully. As you’d expect from a game with a name—Under The Lights—there’s a lot of pregame fanfare. Michigan unveils the Legends Jersey program by honoring Desmond Howard. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } [After THE JUMP: #FreeDenard] Junior Hemingway wears the celebrated #21 uniform. Ann Arbor goes from dusk to dark within the first couple minutes of kickoff. The Goodyear blimp captures the scene. It’s beautiful. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Michigan’s first half. Notre Dame wins the toss and defers, so we start the game with a taste of Denard-Borges fusion cuisine. It’s but a nibble: after Robinson gains seven yards on a QB power to open the drive, standout ND linebacker Manti Te’o destroys a QB stretch, lineman Ricky Barnum false starts, and Robinson misses a third-and-11 checkdown behind the line of scrimmage. A suboptimal start, though at least Borges is running Denard out of the shotgun, which strikes terror into the heart of every Irish partisan after his record-breaking performance in 2010. The first Irish drive is foreboding; while this mostly applies to Michigan’s young defense, still getting accustomed to Greg Mattison’s new scheme, there’s also a brief ND slip-up to keep in the memory bank. Running back Cierre Wood opens the drive with an 11-yard rush, exploiting a bad angle by freshman linebacker Desmond Morgan, who’s been pushed into starting duty for lack of a better alternative. QB Tommy Rees hits WR Michael Floyd for a 21-yard gain. Wood covers 11 more yards straight up the gut to set up first-and-goal. Rees fumbles the next snap; he manages to dive on it to save the drive. Two plays later, Mattison brings a heavy blitz, leaving safety/nickel Thomas Gordon on an island with slot Theo Riddick, whose versatility and receiving ability still have him in the NFL nine years later. When ND’s line easily picks up the rushers, this goes as you’d expect. Gordon is shading Riddick far enough inside that Rees can miss his mark on the out route by a yard and still throw an easy touchdown. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } 7-0, Irish. Michigan goes three-and-out. They’ve used three running backs in six plays: starter Michael Shaw, power back Stephen Hopkins, and third-down back Vincent Smith. A holding penalty on the punt return at least pins ND inside their 20. We return from commercial break to learn Kirk Herbstreit has consumed what he believes is an all-time record four Zingmerman’s sandwiches in two days. Sir. He also says one of those sandwiches was a PB&J, which is how you know he makes a stupid amount of money. Anyway, Brian Kelly keeps calling the perfect counters to Mattison’s myriad blitzes. The combination of runs away from pressure and quick-hitters to Floyd, Riddick, and tight end Tyler Eifert is proving difficult to slow down. Michigan simply doesn’t have the talent in the secondary to keep up. Floyd sets up another first-and-goal when he opens up corner Courtney Avery on a slant. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Brent Musburger notes that the Irish were 2-for-6 in the red zone the previous week. Two Wood carries later, they’re 2-for-2 against Michigan. Alarmingly, the hole on the touchdown run is opened by the left side of ND’s line obliterating Mike Martin and Jibreel Black, two of the M’s three best defensive linemen. Wood does the eating celebration, which feels like salt in the wound even though all the kids are doing it these days. Borges responds by putting Denard under center in a heavy I-formation and running a play-action waggle that gets him smashed at the line of scrimmage by multiple defenders when nobody pops open. They go to the shotgun on the next play; Denard cuts back against the grain and gets to the chains. Funny how that works! Surely the smart football man will notice this trend, too. Ah, well. Hopkins rushes for two yards. On the next snap, the last of the first quarter, disaster hits; Robinson blindly throws a screen pass over Smith’s head and it’s picked off by a diving Gary Gray. I do not like seeing Denard like this, please make it stop. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } The defense stiffens up, at least, booting the Irish off the field in three plays; ND even burns their second timeout amid some pre-snap confusion prior to the punt. Before they get the punt off, we hear a promo for Tom Brady’s Patriots facing Chad Henne’s Dolphins. Then, prior to Michigan’s offense taking the field, we witness a fan going through the experience of seeing Charles Woodson in the flesh. It appears overwhelming. This time around, Borges starts the drive with something that might work. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } He’s learning. Everything is going to be great! Michigan punts after three failed pass plays, the second an off-target pass to an open Roy Roundtree that reveals Denard’s frustration again. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } This is my first time watching a non-condensed broadcast of this game. I’m enjoying it less than I anticipated. Floyd is proving unstoppable, starting the next drive with a 21-yard gain on a screen on which he runs right around Gordon. Both he and Troy Woolfolk, who entered this game with an ankle injury, exit after a sideline collision on another Floyd target; the Irish burn their last timeout so Floyd can return, while Woolfolk stays on the bench. When Rees looks for his favorite target again, however, Jordan Kovacs is waiting to undercut the throw. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } This is a swing play, to say the least. Hopkins slams into the line from I-form for two yards, which is annoying for only a moment. That’s because Borges uses all that rushing, uh, persistence to set up a play-action bomb to Hemingway, who high-points the ball and then stretches to hit the pylon for a highlight-reel score. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } There’s a long review to see if the worst rule in football—a touchback when the ballcarrier fumbles into the end zone—applies to the end of this play. The call stands, pulling Michigan within seven. It looks for all the world like Notre Dame will strike back. Wood cruises up the middle for 22 yards when Kelly catches Mattison dropping Martin, his best interior run defender, into zone coverage on an edge blitz. Floyd draws a defensive pass interference on Avery. Even an ND personal foul is a temporary setback; Floyd beats J.T. Floyd one-on-one to pick up all but an inch of what’s needed for the first down, then Wood picks it up. Kenny Demens gets a nice stop on the edge, prompting Musburger’s first mangled name of the night when he credits the play to “Dewins.” With no timeouts left, ND eats a delay of game, eliciting a mini-blowup from Kelly. The Irish get right back in business when Floyd frees himself over the middle for ten yards and a first down. Once again, however, Rees forces it to his favorite receiver one too many times, getting intercepted at the goal line by J.T. Floyd. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } The next drive is doomed by execution instead of playcalling, so at least Michigan is keeping it fresh, I guess. A first-down handoff to Shaw from the gun loses a yard. Denard overthrows Roundtree on a shot play. Hemingway gets open on a flood concept against zone coverage, just as designed, but Robinson’s ball is uncatchable. Matt Wile then hits a crummy 33-yard punt, which Irish return man John Goodman (NTJG) fair catches on the midfield stripe. As the half winds down, Michigan’s chances of keeping the Irish out of the end zone look bleak. Floyd beats Avery for another first down pickup. On a third-and-five, Jonas Gray goes down Main Street for 12 yards when Martin drops into a short zone again. Kelly has Mattison’s number. Finally, though, a couple of Mattison’s blitzes get close enough to force a field goal attempt, which David Ruffer puts through from 38 yards. 17-7, Notre Dame. Despite having two timeouts and Denard Robinson, Hoke/Borges have an easy decision to pack it in for halftime with 1:40 on the clock when a penalty on a short kickoff return puts the ball at the six. “They’re really not built for inside your own five- or ten-yard line, two timeouts, a minute-and-a-half to go, let’s drive 60 or 70 yards and try to get in field goal range,” says Herbstreit. “I’m not saying they can’t do it but right now they don’t necessarily have the pieces in place to be able to do that.” File that one away, too. Denard kneels out the clock. Kelly has to be peeved that his offense’s lack of having their shit together cost the team two timeouts; alas, the broadcast doesn’t note this or show his face. As we head into the tunnel, Erin Andrews catches Hoke for a rather blunt interview. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } WELL, that could’ve gone better. Stay tuned for the absolutely batshit conclusion on Friday and don’t forget to join us on Saturday at noon ET for a live Twitch stream (further details forthcoming on that one). Log in or register to post comments An Angelo’s Addict September 9th, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^ I graduated in 2010 and this was the first game/time I came back to AA after graduation. Absolutely best and craziest football experience of my life. I’ll never forget how it felt like the entire stadium was still there screaming/dancing to “dynamite” and some other songs for like 20 mins after the game ended. Amazing experience Joined: 07/12/2011 MGoPoints: 7982 ChiCityWolverine September 9th, 2020 at 4:08 PM ^ Looking at the lineup chart and I forgot how many holes that defense had. Mike Martin really solved a lot of problems, as did an abundance of turnover luck. Joined: 07/08/2011 MGoPoints: 3801 In reply to Looking at the lineup chart… by ChiCityWolverine Watching From Afar September 9th, 2020 at 6:28 PM ^ Mattison and Hoke took a complete disaster of a defense and cobbled together a top 25 unit (IIRC). They hit a ceiling because of a lot of things, but at least they got it out of the dumpster. Whenever I run into people that say RR was continually getting better and was only a year away (usually other team’s fans who didn’t watch RR every weekend) this is what I point to. The offense, while it put up good numbers against UMass, Delaware, and whoever else, put up less than 20 PPGs against OSU/MSU/PSU/Wisconsin. Pair that with the worst defense in program history and you get RR only being capable of winning games 67-65 3OTs against Illinois. Joined: 10/10/2016 MGoPoints: 17711 lilpenny1316 September 9th, 2020 at 4:16 PM ^ If that game kicked off at noon or 3:30, I would’ve been pissed by halftime. But because it was UTL, I was all like, “Yay, night game in the Big House.” Joined: 11/19/2009 MGoPoints: 66525 Chaco September 9th, 2020 at 4:27 PM ^ “he’s a poor thrower….but on the run he is a dangerous man…” and then Denard torches them by throwing them down the field. The schadenfreude never gets old with this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK-8PdulPw8 Joined: 11/15/2012 MGoPoints: 33791 In reply to “he’s a poor thrower….but… by Chaco MGoStretch September 9th, 2020 at 5:02 PM ^ That clip was awesome, thanks for sharing. ND Announcer flatly: Incomplete. Big House crowd: RRRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joined: 03/20/2015 MGoPoints: 9447 In reply to That clip was awesome,… by MGoStretch Chaco September 9th, 2020 at 5:47 PM ^ It’s actually a thing of beauty Criqui says “incomplete…..but wait ” and I think Allen Pinkett says in a flat, defeated voice “touchdown” while the crowd roars Delicious Joined: 11/15/2012 MGoPoints: 33791 CRISPed in the DIAG September 9th, 2020 at 4:39 PM ^ Gary Grey gets utterly pwned in the 2nd half. I almost felt bad for his family. Joined: 11/08/2010 MGoPoints: 48256 blueinIN September 9th, 2020 at 4:46 PM ^ I still remember everybody in the stadium going shhhhhhhhh… just as the last drive was starting. On paper we are doomed, but everyone just got that tingling feeling that if someone were to make some magic happen, it would be Denard. 28secs later I am part of the loudest screaming that I ever heard in the stadium. Joined: 01/06/2013 MGoPoints: 1054 Grampy September 9th, 2020 at 4:53 PM ^ I’ve been to a lot of games which had last minute heroics and failures, but nothing compares to the last half of the 4th quarter of this game. I’ve never heard the crowd so emotionally engaged, never seen us stick around for 45 minutes after the game just sharing the experience and not wanting it to end. Hoke had many flaws as a head coach, but he’ll always have this game. Joined: 06/29/2012 MGoPoints: 31126 Blueroller September 9th, 2020 at 4:55 PM ^ Blue Seoul had a diary on this game that’s one of my favorite pieces in the history of Mgoblog. I’m just going back to it in all its glory. What a blast! https://mgoblog.com/diaries/nd-game-wrap-pics-0 Joined: 06/08/2010 MGoPoints: 1670 In reply to Blue Seoul had a diary on… by Blueroller Collateral Whiz September 9th, 2020 at 5:14 PM ^ Thanks for linking. Blue Seoul’s recaps were my favorite user created content on this site. Really miss those things. Joined: 08/24/2011 MGoPoints: 1622 Collateral Whiz September 9th, 2020 at 5:05 PM ^ That Denard Cutback gif is just phenomenal. He’s easily the most athletically freakish player I’ve ever seen in 30+ years at Michigan. I honestly think he was just a notch below guys like Barry Sanders and Bo Jackson. This makes me really wish Hoke had retained Calvin Magee for this season, as i think this could have been the best Michigan offense ever if we had someone to properly deploy Denard. As it was the offense was still really good that year, but it could have been so much more. Joined: 08/24/2011 MGoPoints: 1622 East Quad September 9th, 2020 at 5:30 PM ^ There needs to be a catfish symbol on the lineup card next to Manti Te’o. Joined: 11/12/2017 MGoPoints: 53639 borninAnnArbor September 9th, 2020 at 6:00 PM ^ One of my favorite all time calls. “Gallon is wide open…they left him alone.” Joined: 10/10/2012 MGoPoints: 4138 A Lot of Milk September 9th, 2020 at 6:08 PM ^ Teo, Michael Floyd, Eifert, Zack Martin, Harrison Smith, Theo Riddick, and Nix added up to an 8-5 team with a home loss to South Florida?? I wonder why Kelly doesn’t get more NFL coaching interest… Joined: 02/17/2013 MGoPoints: 60019 In reply to Teo, Michael Floyd, Eifert,… by A Lot of Milk A Lot of Milk September 9th, 2020 at 6:12 PM ^ Also daily reminder that Kelly has a losing record to the Rodriguez/Hoke teams and that he killed a kid Joined: 02/17/2013 MGoPoints: 60019 In reply to Teo, Michael Floyd, Eifert,… by A Lot of Milk Michigan4Life September 10th, 2020 at 12:44 AM ^ Bad QB play will do it for you. Also, ND was 10th in Football Outsiders F+ combined ratings so they were simply unlucky that year. Their ST was horrendous that year as well Joined: 07/29/2010 MGoPoints: 34223 TheVanillaBaron September 9th, 2020 at 7:45 PM ^ Had to create an account to recount this anecdote. I graduated in 2010, went to this game with my younger brother and sat in the student section. There was a Notre Dame fan nearby that was talking the entire game. After ND scores with 0:30 seconds left, the fan stands up, looks at us before he walks out of the stadium and says, “well boys, I guess that about seals it.” He was probably just leaving the concourse when he heard Roundtree catch that pass. I still wonder what must have been going through that guy’s head when that happened. Joined: 09/09/2020 MGoPoints: 12 In reply to Had to create an account to… by TheVanillaBaron A Lot of Milk September 9th, 2020 at 8:04 PM ^ I need someone to explain to me the intrigue of leaving a game early that you’re WINNING?? Joined: 02/17/2013 MGoPoints: 60019 In reply to I need someone to explain to… by A Lot of Milk lilpenny1316 September 9th, 2020 at 10:04 PM ^ Easy answer: Traffic. My dad made us leave with over 5 minutes to go in the 1991 Rose Bowl (Washington-Iowa) because he wanted to beat the traffic. We had no rooting interest and it was a blowout, but it’s still the Rose Bowl. By time we got back to the hotel, we found out that we skipped out on the highest scoring Rose Bowl in history. Joined: 11/19/2009 MGoPoints: 66525 In reply to Easy answer: Traffic. My dad… by lilpenny1316 michengin87 September 10th, 2020 at 10:30 PM ^ With all due respect to your father. Traffic is the wrong answer for me. Maybe something like got a call from the doctor that a loved one is sick or hurt, but definitely not for traffic. Joined: 07/14/2009 MGoPoints: 5140 Clarence Boddicker September 9th, 2020 at 8:13 PM ^ I WAS AT THIS GAME!! Joined: 05/27/2011 MGoPoints: 104099 Soulfire21 September 9th, 2020 at 8:27 PM ^ Probably my best football game experience. Had my brother in the stands in the student section with me, it was great! Joined: 03/18/2010 MGoPoints: 24844 Blue Vet September 9th, 2020 at 10:05 PM ^ As Hoke said, all Michigan needed was “those things.” Joined: 05/08/2012 MGoPoints: 86743 killthereds September 9th, 2020 at 10:10 PM ^ I went to this game for my bachelor party and got shingles afterwards from the combination of hangover and stress…. I regret nothing Joined: 10/27/2016 MGoPoints: 157 Buckeye_Impaler8124 September 9th, 2020 at 10:23 PM ^ I miss Brady Hoke. Last coach to beat OSU, last coach to 11 wins, last coach to win a NY6. So kidding, please don’t neg the fuck out of me. What a weird decade + we’ve had to endure. Joined: 01/08/2015 MGoPoints: 3094 In reply to I miss Brady Hoke. Last… by Buckeye_Impaler8124 michengin87 September 10th, 2020 at 11:26 PM ^ I personally liked Brady Hoke a lot. He was a good guy who knew how to recruit and was a better coach than we’ll ever know. He had a complete jerk for a boss who controlled everything that he did and as a result made him look worse than he actually was. Don’t get me wrong, Harbaugh is 10X the coach, better recruiter, surrounds himself with better people and is the complete package. I have faith that Harbaugh will turn the corner very soon against that other team and in the bowls… hopefully the CFP bowls. Joined: 07/14/2009 MGoPoints: 5140 Voodlezang September 9th, 2020 at 10:33 PM ^ Does anyone that attended the game remember the ultra-hd 360 photo they took either before the game or at halftime? It was one where, if you were in view of the camera, you could zoom in and hopefully find a quasi-clear photo of yourself in the stands? If so, is it still posted somewhere? Not sure if it’s even posted anymore, but would be cool to look back and see that again. I know I saw myself and 3 or 4 friends I was with at the time, but over the years I’ve met others that were at that game, so it would be cool to find them. Joined: 11/20/2010 MGoPoints: 237 In reply to Does anyone that attended… by Voodlezang House Mother September 9th, 2020 at 10:45 PM ^ Yes, I remember the 360 photo. Forwarded it to many friends to see if they could find themselves at the game. That is the best game I have attended. The atmosphere was electric from the moment you entered the stadium. The fans were loud and on fire. What a great time, just checked. The 360 FanCam photo has been removed from MGoBlue. Joined: 11/05/2016 MGoPoints: 7975 lsjtre September 9th, 2020 at 11:26 PM ^ Woof not being able to skip to the second half highlights of this game is very weird and uncomfortable having that been the only rewatch I’ve ever done for this game (obviously) Joined: 11/16/2018 MGoPoints: 4385 Blue Vet September 10th, 2020 at 7:40 AM ^ Can I hold my breath till Friday? Joined: 05/08/2012 MGoPoints: 86743 WolverineHistorian September 10th, 2020 at 8:30 AM ^ 9 years ago tonight. Never thought I would see a night game at the big house. I thought the closest we would ever come was the 4:30 start time for Braylonfest, which I went to. Joined: 08/10/2009 MGoPoints: 62468 Mongo September 10th, 2020 at 6:12 PM ^ This is my most favorite game to have watched in Michigan history. Attended it with a big reunion group of friends that came from all over the world (South Africa was the farthest). We stayed until almost 1am right above the band and had a great time. Kirk Herbstreit stayed on the field the whole time until they turned out the lights and was really engaged with the Michigan fanbase that stuck around. He told us it was the most exciting college game he ever witnessed. Joined: 06/25/2016 MGoPoints: 9584 2011 notre dame desmond howard denard robinson al borges denard fusion cuisine brady hoke brady hoke yells over a snowblower greg mattison brian kelly brian kelly is yosemite sam tommy rees jordan kovacs jordan kovacs will always be 32 jt floyd junior hemingway let’s pretend there’s a 2020 season unmoored from constricts of time and space wow

Drew McIntyre suffered yet another setback at Saturday Night’s Main Event, failing to win the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes.