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MICHIGAN PREVIEW NEMESIS Quarterback Denard Robinson looks to break Irish hearts yet again BY WES MORGAN I n terms of how the Notre Dame football team prepares for Michigan's nocturnal visit Saturday, it's obvious that figuring out a way to slow Wolverines senior quar- terback Denard Robinson is the first bullet point. He's been a thorn in Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly's and defensive coordinator Bob Diaco's side since 2010. In the last two games between the two Senior quarterback Denard Robinson, who has accounted for eight touchdowns (three rushing and five passing) in two starts against Notre Dame, is averaging 117.0 rush- ing yards and 233.0 passing yards through three games in 2012. ✦ GAME FACTS SIRIUS Satellite Radio (channel 129). Coaches: Notre Dame — Brian Kelly (19-10, third season), Michigan — Brady Hoke (13-3, second season). Series Facts: This will be the 40th meeting between the Date: Sept. 22, 2012 Site: Notre Dame Stadium (80,795) Kickoff: 7:39 p.m. EST Television: NBC Radio: This broadcast can be heard live on Irish, including last year's 35-31 victory in the final seconds in Ann Arbor, Mich. Prime Personnel: Offense — Senior quarterback Denard PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL programs, both of which Michigan stole in the closing seconds, Robinson has ac- counted for 366 yards and three touch- downs on the ground, and 582 yards with five scores through the air. Simply put, he's ripped many Irish hearts out. But a 2-1 start to the season for the Wol- verines, which included a 41-14 thrashing two teams, with Michigan holding a 23-15-1 advantage. The Wolverines have won three straight games against the Robinson has continued his one-man show for the Wolver- ines in the early going of the 2012 season. In the first three games, he posted a team-high 351 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while completing 54.7 percent of his passes for 699 yards with six scores and four interceptions. Defense — Redshirt sophomore Jake Ryan started 11 games last year, lining up at both outside linebacker and defensive end. He has 20 stops, including two for loss, and a pair of passes defended through three games this season. For The Record: Michigan has beaten Notre Dame by a combined 12 points in the last three meetings — each of which resulted in a Wolverines come-from-behind win with less than a minute to play. A two-yard rush by Denard Robinson with 27 seconds left in 2010 in South Bend, and a 16-yard strike from Robinson to Roy Roundtree with two seconds remaining last fall at The Big House was how Michigan introduced the rivalry to Irish head coach Brian Kelly … The two teams have met every year since 2002 and will continue to do so until 2017. The schools are scheduled for a two-year hiatus after that, and Notre Dame's recent non-football deal with the ACC requires the Irish to play five ACC teams per year. It's unknown if the rivalry will resume in 2020. SEPT. 19, 2012