In a game that featured two underachieving teams at 0-2, Michigan finally won after being upset by Appalachian State and mauled by Oregon earlier this season. It was thought that Notre Dame’s quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who hung tough against a brutal Penn State defense last week, would’ve guided the Fighting Irish past Michigan. However, it was the Wolverine’s Ryan Mallet who won the duel between the two freshman quarterbacks. Mallet looked like an experienced veteran, leading Michigan to a 38-0 win, with his three touchdowns.
In a press conference following last week’s heartbreaking loss to Oregon, Michigan’s star running back Mike Hart guaranteed a victory this week, certain Michigan would win. Hart backed up his talk with a phenomenal performance, rushing for two touchdowns while racking up 187 yards on 35 carries, an average of 5.3 yards per carry. He was unstoppable in the red-zone, and reminded critics why he was once considered a Heisman candidate before this season began.
Despite Hart’s outstanding play, the game was tough to watch. In the first half, it seemed Michigan always had the ball in Notre Dame territory and was concocting another scoring drive. This was a result of the three turnovers and three punts by Notre Dame through the first two quarters. Michigan finished the first half red-hot, going into the locker room up 31-0. The Wolverines did slow down however, managing only a touchdown after the break.
Another story was how Notre Dame’s offense struggled, netting only 110 yards of total offense. Quarterback Clausen couldn’t find the endzone, and for third straight week Notre Dame did not score an offensive touchdown. Ironic enough, Charlie Weiss, Notre Dame’s head coach, was an offensive coordinator in the NFL.
With this victory, Lloyd Carr, head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, saved his job for the moment. Despite the win, it is unlikely he will be the head coach next season unless he wins a bowl game. Michigan must finish out the rest of the season undefeated and/or win the Big-Ten Conference to be considered for an invite to play in a bowl game. As for Charlie Weiss, his job still appears safe, only because he does not have the talent that Lloyd Carr and Michigan have this season. It is clear that Weiss’ team is rebuilding this year, and have a long way to go before they can contend for a bowl game.
