Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI • In 1982, Notre Dame's Gerry Faust was fresh off a horrendous 5-6 debut, and Michigan head coach Bo Schem- bechler purportedly remarked that he would never lose to a "high school coach" like Faust. Surprise! One year after getting thrashed 25-7 at Michigan, Notre Dame in its first night home game pulls off a 23-17 victory versus the Wolverines in the opener. • In 1985, Schembechler was coming off his worst season ever at Michigan (6-6) and the whispers began that the game had "passed him by." Not only did the Wolverines defeat Notre Dame in the opener (20-12), but their No. 2 finish in the Associated Press poll would be their highest in his 21 seasons. • The late 1980s and early 1990s were halcyon times for both programs, and then the infamous Under The Tar- nished Dome book was published prior to the 1993 season, eviscerating Irish head coach Lou Holtz. Notre Dame entered Michigan as a nine-point underdog, but an impres- sive win led to a victory ride for Holtz from the team and a No. 1 ranking in November. • Prior to the 1997 campaign, Michi- gan was mocked in an extensive fea- ture by the Sporting News as the na- tion's most underachieving program after four straight four-loss campaigns. Third-year head coach Lloyd Carr and Co. then survived a 21-14 scare versus Notre Dame before the Wol- verines won a national title for the first time in 49 years. • In 1998, Notre Dame's beleaguered Bob Davie, coming off a 7-6 debut campaign and a summer court case with former Irish offensive line coach Joe Moore that Notre Dame lost, had to open with the defending co-national champions — with Tom Brady serving as the new Wolverines' quarterback. Surprise! Notre Dame scored 30 un- answered points during a 36-20 rout. • In 2004, Notre Dame's Tyrone Will- ingham had just come off a 5-7 season (including a 38-0 loss at Michigan) and opened the new year with a 20-17 loss at BYU … so naturally his Irish van- quished No. 8 Michigan (28-20). • In 2006, Michigan's Carr is coming off a 7-5 finish, while Notre Dame's Charlie Weis is venerated and has his No. 2 Irish soaring … so predictably the Wolverines crush the Irish 47-21 and start 11-0. • In 2008, after a 3-9 season, Weis' Irish whip Michigan 35-17. The next year, after a 3-9 debut by Michigan's Rich Rodriguez, the Wolverines rally for an 11th-hour win versus Notre Dame. • In 2012, Brian Kelly was 0-2 versus Michigan while yielding more than 948 yards total offense to quarterback De- nard Robinson … so naturally Robin- son is forced into six turnovers during a 13-6 Irish win that leads to a 12-0 start. Hoke is the beleaguered coach now. That's an "advantage" Notre Dame must end in this rivalry's finale, lest Kelly become embattled himself. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com