Birk's Eye View: Michigan out to make a statement against Notre Dame
Saturday’s win over Western Michigan was nice. Coming off a dreadful 2008, Michigan couldn’t afford anything less.
But the real test of where the Wolverines stand as a program comes this week against 18th-ranked Notre Dame.
Win, and you can file that vacation request for the last week of December. It won’t be Pasadena, but with home games against Eastern Michigan, Delaware State, Indiana and Purdue still on the schedule, Michigan will spend the holidays somewhere warm.
Lose, and the consternation returns.
Yes, the Wolverines are better. But how much and how soon they regain their footing atop the flawed Big Ten remains to be seen.
“Not to take anything away from Western. They are a great team. They’ll contend for a MAC title,” guard Steve Schilling said earlier this week. “But Notre Dame is a team we can send a little bit more of a statement if we can come out and play for four quarters.”
The statement: Michigan, under Rich Rodriguez, is back.
Beating Notre Dame is by no means a cure for all that ails the Wolverines. The university’s investigation into alleged NCAA violations remains ongoing, the defense has serious depth problems (especially a secondary that will be severely tested by the Irish), and with two true freshmen playing quarterback the offense is prone to inconsistency.
Still, this is the type of game a resurgent program wins. At home. On a national stage. Against a good-but-not-great opponent with blemishes of its own.
Beano Cook’s BCS Championship Game prediction aside, Notre Dame is not one of the 10 best teams in America this year. What the Irish are is an elite collection of offensive talent whose schedule affords them an opportunity for a rebound.
No one would fault Michigan for losing. The smartest people in the room - the Las Vegas oddsmakers - actually expect it.
But make no mistake the importance of this game. Pushing around a Mid-American Conference team for two quarters is one thing. Outclassing the Irish on the way to what should be a perfect September is something entirely different.
“This as an excellent opportunity for us to not only show that Game 1 was not a fluke or anything, but just to set the tone for the whole season,” cornerback Donovan Warren said. “If we get this win under our belt, we can get some momentum rolling and carry it on throughout the whole season.”
Dave Birkett covers the University of Michigan football team for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidbirkett@annarbor.com
Comments
Txmaizenblue
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 6:33 p.m.
This game will come down to last year's game - turnovers. I predict the team with the least of them is the team that ends up with the W. Not exactly, stepping away from the law of average here, I know. I believe Michigan would have had better showing last year if it was not for those awful blunders - one after another. I like Michigan's chances of moving the ball...I'm just not too sure about the D.
Rodie
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 6:16 p.m.
After last season and the West Mich game, I have no idea what to expect. I want to believe they are good enough but experience goes a long way.
wpm
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 4:52 p.m.
This is a big - big game... but I like coming in as the underdog - with more pressure on ND than on us... Mix in a little looking ahead to MSU by ND and it's a perfect cocktail for a hard fought nail biter... Kickers play a surprisingly big role in this one... UM 27 - ND 24 in a last second shocker.
A2D2
Wed, Sep 9, 2009 : 4:16 p.m.
Just a bunch of mixed emotions about this one. I really want to allow myself to believe that Michigan is back, Tate is for real, the Brandons are really that good, etc...... But like a guy struggling to ever trust girls again after he's jilted, I keep remembering 2008..............