Michigan 45, Notre Dame 14
Perhaps Brian Kelly should've thrown a towel.
Michigan ran over, around, and past Notre Dame, breaking out their best offensive performance of the year in a steady rain against a top-ten team. Josh Gattis's offense embraced a run-pass distribution that could've raised Bo Schembechler from the grave. Kelly, meanwhile, ran Kelly's offense.
One of these things was a good idea. Michigan's offensive line bludgeoned the Irish front, opening space for backs Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet to accumulate 142 combined yards by halftime. Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book, meanwhile, spent much of his night on the run from Dr. Blitz's angry horde of defenders.
The Wolverines took advantage of a break on their first offensive drive when an Irish player inexplicably tried to recover a blocked Will Hart punt, allowing Dax Hill to jump on the ball and gain 20 yards in the exchange. While that drive would stall out at the two for a Jake Moody chip shot, the offense had begun to set the tone on the ground, and that continued when they got the ball back. The next drive was mean, muscular, and magnificent: eight plays, all runs, for 59 yards, capped by a seven-yard Charbonnet touchdown.
Cam McGrone (12 tackles) led an overwhelming defensive effort. [Patrick Barron]
The defense forced a three-and-out when Aidan Hutchinson batted down Book's third-down pass. Michigan got right back to it, needing three chunk plays—a Haskins run in which he hurdled a safety, a Patterson third-down throw to Mike Sainristil, and an arc keeper Patterson took 22 yards—to set up another Charbonnet score at the goal line.
Despite trying a fourth down only to be rebuffed by Jordan Glasgow, Notre Dame couldn't break through for the rest of the half. Michigan went into the tunnel with four pass attempts and 34 rushes; the Irish were at 13 and 15, respectively. The Wolverines led, 17-0, and perhaps I'm being too harsh on Kelly for his playcalling, as ND's 15 run plays had netted a grand total of 20 yards.
The game slowed to a halt in the third quarter before infamous referee John O'Neill decided it was time for a signature blunder. Book forced a ball downfield to Chase Claypool into double coverage; Brad Hawkins intercepted the underthrow, only for Khaleke Hudson—who did not so much as touch Claypool—to get hit with defensive pass interference. Five plays later, Book found tight end Cole Kmet all alone on a goal line throwback, and what had been a romp felt like it could turn into a fight, a feeling stoked by the students tossing towels onto the field in protest.
But when Michigan hit back, Notre Dame folded. After a 49-yard run by Haskins, who finished with a game-high 149 yards on 20 carries, Patterson absorbed a hit from Asmar Bilal and got enough mustard on the ball to get it to a sliding Donovan Peoples-Jones in the end zone. A few drives later, the blowout resumed in earnest when Nico Collins pulled down a fade for Patterson's second touchdown pass.
There was little slowing any of M's running backs. [Fuller]
Tru Wilson and Mike Sainristil would tack on touchdowns, the latter in spectacular jitterbug fashion, to extend the lead out to 45-7 before a perfunctory 14-yard toss from backup Phil Jurkovec to Javon McKinley provided the game's final score.
Michigan needed to show a lot heading into the final stretch of the season, and tonight they checked pretty much all the available boxes. The playcalling matched both the situation and the personnel, with the offense churning away at 6.2 yards per play. The defense was hellacious, erasing the Irish run game and forcing Book into a horrible stat line: 8-for-25 for 73 yards. When faced with a moment of potential crisis, both units stepped up.
The Wolverines are now 6-2 and the team has taken an apparent U-turn since halftime of last week's Penn State game. They can build on this next weekend at Maryland, take their second bye week, and hopefully head into the home stretch of MSU-Indiana-OSU with more confidence and competence than they've shown all year.
[Hit THE JUMP for the box score.]
October 27th, 2019 at 12:26 AM ^
To hell with Notre Dame.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:57 AM ^
Fuck the Irish!
October 27th, 2019 at 12:30 AM ^
On the Khaleke Hudson phony penalty play, the pass didn’t fall incomplete-it was intercepted by Hawkins. If that play was called correctly, Notre Dame wouldn’t have scored.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
I was amusingly relieved that ND scored in garbage time, so I wasn’t up all night angry that only an atrocious penalty call prevented a shutout.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:41 AM ^
yes that was absolutely awful, very glad the team rallied and played past the ref crap that happened.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:49 AM ^
How the hell does John O’Neill get assigned to Michigan / Notre Dame??
He’s not even qualified to ref high school.
October 27th, 2019 at 1:09 AM ^
Michigan State fans hate him too.
October 27th, 2019 at 2:27 AM ^
MSU never plays a game with as much national cachet as Michigan / Notre Dame.
I assume O’Neill has compromising pictures of Delany or something, so if he has to work a game, it should be the lowest-rung game of the week. Rutgers vs. Indiana, Illinois vs. Northwestern, whatever.
October 27th, 2019 at 4:08 AM ^
And so does PSU. Anyone have any positive thing to say about this douche?
October 27th, 2019 at 8:28 AM ^
OSU? I mean, that would just figure, right...
October 27th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
That’s a bold statement
October 27th, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
Shout out to whomever made O'Neill suffer through a rainstorm just to watch the team he wanted to win lose by 31
October 27th, 2019 at 6:29 AM ^
His crew really only botched one call and it was a biggie. But considering the damage he and his crew usually levy on us, we came out of this one all right I think.
October 27th, 2019 at 9:05 AM ^
There was a PI called on ND later on in the game that was a pretty bad call as well. So i feel like they intentionally made up for it. It wasn't as obviously wrong as the one that led to the Irish score though.
All in all, I feel like it was a decently called game. Not even remotely as bad as the PSU game.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:39 AM ^
As soon as they called that one on nd, i was over the other one. That evened things out.
October 27th, 2019 at 5:07 PM ^
It was definitely a make up call. Even the refs thought something had to be done.
October 28th, 2019 at 7:05 PM ^
We definitely got bailed out in the endzone. Both were on third down, both resulted in TDs.
You have to think though that we got the bad end of that because we still could have kicked a FG and on the ND bailout call, it's a pick that puts us in great position.
Appreciate the makeup call, but just make the right call in the first place.
Luck o' the Irish!
October 27th, 2019 at 10:51 AM ^
Agreed. I felt the same way. It actually seemed like a legit make up call, which I appreciated. Still salty they took away our chance for a shutout. But whatever. We pounded them in epic fashion, in primetime, in driving rain, and they have to live with that for a long time.
Go Blue.
October 27th, 2019 at 11:45 PM ^
I was past angry and laughing at the officiating during Q1 of the PSU game. It was far more offensive to me than what had occurred in the Packers vs Lions game a few days prior but, because it happened in Q1 and not Q4 (in my opinion) it received little attention.
That was the most satisfying Michigan win I’ve seen in a long time. Good for JH and good for the team. Hopefully this level of play is now the status quo.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:31 AM ^
Great showing all around. The offense was really starting to show some complexity. The defense was ... not fair. Go Blue!
October 27th, 2019 at 12:32 AM ^
One of the best parts of the game was when someone chucked a towel at O’Neil’s ugly facehole when he was at the review monitor. I was hoping a baseball or a boot was gonna be next.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:43 AM ^
Yep from the press box Carl was asking that people not throw objects on the field. well, they handed out yellow rally towels, so when the refs didn't seem to to know how to throw their flags correctly, flags rained down from the stands.
October 27th, 2019 at 8:59 AM ^
People also booed Carl’s request. Justifiably, though I of course love Carl.
October 27th, 2019 at 9:28 AM ^
I don't know who Carl is but fans need to be salty. Raises the team energy level and it becomes a huge home advantage. Not a coincidence they were salty a s we blew them out if stadium. Come to the noon games when fans are half asleep and see the difference.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
Carl Grapentine has been the Michigan Stadium announcer for a long, long time, man.
October 27th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
He's been the marching band announcer for a very long time (30-40 years) but "only" the regular PA guy for about 10-12 years. It was Howard King before that.
October 28th, 2019 at 11:12 AM ^
Carl has been our (the band's) announcer for 50 years. This year was his 50th anniversary and, to celebrate, he got to conduct the national anthem from the press box for the Iowa game
October 27th, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^
You lost me at "I don't know who Carl is..."
October 27th, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
It was also great when the crowd booed loudly for the rest of that series. I don't remember a time when the refs were booed so loud and for so long.
October 27th, 2019 at 2:59 PM ^
I have to say I found it amusing when ND scored on that drive that a towel landed squarely on the receivers helmet. How appropo.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
Such a great feeling, complete domination. What a game by the o-line, they looked very athletic.
October 27th, 2019 at 8:31 AM ^
They looked outstanding! Ruiz was specifically called out several times by Fowler for hitting linebackers to seal the opening for several chunk runs. Fantastic outing all around!
(Yes, I edited Fowler back in...)
October 27th, 2019 at 12:36 AM ^
Didn’t expect this at all. Credit where it’s due, they played their nuts off. One good game does not a season make but if this is the team we see for the rest of the season it’ll at least be a helluva lot more fun. Well done to the players and coaches tonight. They earned this one. Go Blue!
October 27th, 2019 at 12:37 AM ^
God-tier lede, phenomenal.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:38 AM ^
There is nothing quite like Michigan-Notre Dame. The games are always weird, and (almost) always very entertaining.
I never complained when we put them back on the schedule. I hope we can play them at some point in the 2020s. We can't really wait until 2033...
October 27th, 2019 at 12:47 AM ^
If this does end being a 14 year hiatus, I am SO glad that this game will end up being the parting shot.
October 27th, 2019 at 6:31 AM ^
And I love that Harbaugh decided to accept the holding penalty late in the 4th to make Jurkovic take another snap. And then come back with Dylan throwing the ball to pump in another score. Run it up on those a-holes in this final game.
October 27th, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
Right?? Finally! Showing some ferociousness on offense and trying to murder the other team with as many points as possible. I hope this attitude never leaves Harbaugh. I absolutely hate when we stop playing and just bleed out the clock. Even with the backups (Dylan or Joe) let em play!
I do wish Milton was given the chance to throw though. I would’ve liked to see what he could do.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:39 AM ^
Well that was rather nice. They are answering some soul searching questions right now - and impressively. I could never have predicted this bludgeoning.
Onward and upward. Go Blue.
October 27th, 2019 at 9:29 AM ^
I did. Said they'd win by at least two tds. It's in the posts last week
October 27th, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
hahahahaha
October 27th, 2019 at 5:10 PM ^
We will beat Ohio State by 2 TDs.
There, in case it happens, I can say I called it.
If it doesn't happen nobody will ever remember this comment.
Wow, that was easy.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:43 AM ^
Life is suddenly beautiful again.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:43 AM ^
This was fun as hell to watch in the basement of my best friends house with plenty of beers and high fives in hand. HUZZAH!!!!!
October 27th, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
It’s 9:45. I’m rewatching the game now that my kids are in bed. There is a Basil Hayden, neat, on my arm rest. I’m listening to this.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8NfAkDr-XnE
Man, I love my university.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:46 AM ^
I was drunk enough last night to read this as "my kids, Basil and Hayden, are in bed and my arm rest is neat"
October 27th, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
That was good.
I mean, our team looked good last October, too. But expectations were higher.
We'll see what it means. But it was a good night. Thought the team handled the conditions perfectly.
Basically the first time since the first game of the year that football was fun. I'll take it.
October 27th, 2019 at 3:06 AM ^
This was my biggest take away too. Football was suddenly fun again. And nothing is better than that.
October 27th, 2019 at 10:56 AM ^
You going to stop low key bashing Harbaugh now? That would be cool.
October 27th, 2019 at 12:30 PM ^
You know, Timmmaaayyyy, when I read a post I do not agree with, I might reply, might not.
But stalking posters and knowing their history? Wow.
I mean, who cares, really, in the long run?
People got their opinions, you got yours.
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