Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/373357
GAME PREVIEW: MICHIGAN leadership council where they elected four guys out of each class to be lead‑ ers." Even with the Wolverines struggling often the past five years, they have beaten Notre Dame four times in the annual September matchup. Six of the past eight meetings have ended with a Michigan triumph. "I've lost to them three times, per‑ sonally. I don't like losing, and I don't want to lose to Michigan," said Irish head coach Brian Kelly, who is 1‑3 against Michigan since arriving in South Bend in 2010. "I don't like the way the game ended last year. It's a home game, and it's a game you want to win." While the Wolverines' offense is ex‑ pected to improve with Nussmeier in charge in 2014, it's the Michigan defense that will likely carry the load with nine returning starters. Fifth‑year senior linebacker Jake Ryan moved inside from the outside during the offseason, and senior de‑ fensive end Frank Clark returns as the team's leading pass rusher (4.5 sacks) from last year. "They like the way this unit has played, and the thought is there's a lot of leadership on that side of the ball," Balas said. "If they can get to the passer, it has a chance to be the best defense, easily, since the 2006 sea‑ son. That defense was outstanding. They've got pieces there, and they be‑ lieve that side can carry them until the offense finds its way." In that 2006 season, Michigan set the tone for an 11‑0 start with a 47‑21 pummeling of then No. 2‑ranked Notre Dame. If everything falls Hoke's way, a September tone‑setter could once again be followed up by a return to a New Year's bowl. ✦ 2014 MICHIGAN SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 30 Appalachian State W, 52-14 Sept. 6 at Notre Dame 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 Miami (Ohio) 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20 Utah TBA Sept. 27 Minnesota TBA Oct. 4 at Rutgers 7 p.m. Oct. 11 Penn State 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Michigan State TBA Nov. 1 Indiana 3:30 p.m. Nov. 8 at Northwestern TBA Nov. 22 Maryland TBA Nov. 29 at Ohio State TBA 2014 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 30 Rice (NBC) W, 48-17 Sept. 6 Michigan (NBC) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 vs. Purdue* (NBC) 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 vs. Syracuse^ TBA Oct. 4 Stanford (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 11 North Carolina (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at Florida State TBA Nov. 1 vs. Navy+ (CBS) 8 p.m. Nov. 8 at Arizona State TBA Nov. 15 Northwestern (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Nov. 22 Louisville (NBC) 3:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at USC TBA * at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; ^ at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.; + at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.