Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24: Your comprehensive guide to Saturday's coverage
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
The story of Week 2 in the Wolverines' season was Denard Robinson again, the quarterback who shepherded the team to its first win of the season against UConn last weekend.
On Saturday, Robinson shone again in the toughly fought 28-24 win over the Irish in South Bend with 502 total yards. He scored on a 2-yard run with 27 seconds left in the game, finishing with 258 yards rushing and 244 yards passing. Oh, and he scored twice and tossed a touchdown pass as well.
The win gives Michigan a 2-0 record as its prepares to take on Massachusetts next weekend. And with Bowling Green on the schedule for Sept. 25, the Wolverines have a good chance of going 4-0 in September play.
AnnArbor.com had reporters, photographers and videographers capturing the action in Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday. Here's a look at our complete coverage, as well as other coverage around the Big Ten:
GAME STORIES
• Wolverines beat reporter Pete Bigelow's game story offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Michigan's victory, with an emphasis on Denard Robinson's record-breaking performance for the second Saturday in a row.
• Meanwhile, Mike Rothstein offers more on what he's labeled "The Denard Robinson Experience" that rolled all the way through South Bend. As impressive as Robinson's first two outings as a Wolverine have been, the young quarterback is improving - and fast.
• Another storyline Saturday was how the Michigan defense took advantage after it knocked Notre Dame quarterback Dayne Crist from the game. With Crist in the game in the first half, Notre Dame moved the ball fluidly against the Michigan defense. With him out, Michigan capitalized.
• And in the game day notebook, Pete Bigelow discusses how the missed kicks nearly cost Michigan a win, why Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Robinson had torn loyalties during the game, missed opportunities for both Michigan and Notre Dame, and more.
• Finally, Bigelow awards his game balls to the top performers in the Wolverines' 28-24 victory against Notre Dame. Check out who got them.
GAME INTERACTIVE
• AnnArbor.com's Rich Rezler moderated a fast-paced live chat during the game, with Pete Bigelow and Mike Rothstein weighing in from the press box at Notre Dame. If you weren't part of that chat - or you were and want to check it out again - here's an archive. Our sports team begins the live chat each game day, so check it out next weekend as well.
• With two wins down and 10 games to go, we want to know where you think the Wolverines will go from here. How many more games will they win? And can Denard Robinson continue to shine on the field? Take our polls.
PHOTOS
• AnnArbor.com's Lon Horwedel was all over the field at Notre Dame Stadium, capturing Saturday's action in this slideshow. He got plenty of shots pre-game, during the action and post-game.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
• The most talked about game Saturday around the Big Ten was the Minnesota Golden Gophers' shocking 41-38 loss to the University of South Dakota Coyotes. It was the biggest Division I win to date for South Dakota, fueled by junior quarterback Dante Warren, who racked up 433 yards of total offense and five touchdowns.
• Michigan State fended off Florida Atlantic 30-17 in a "sloppy" win in its road game at Ford Field. Next weekend, the Spartans will play the Fighting Irish - perhaps still stinging from their loss to the Wolverines - in an 8 p.m. game in East Lansing.
• No. 2 Ohio State intercepted Jacory Harris four times in a 36-24 victory over 12th-ranked Miami. Terrelle Pryor ran for 113 yards and a touchdown and passed for another. It was the first time the two teams had met since the national championship game at the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
• A fourth-quarter field goal was all the scoring No. 18 Penn State could manage Saturday night as top-ranked Alabama made a statement with a 24-3 victory. The Nittany Lions drove into scoring position three times but turned the ball over each time.
• The ninth-ranked Hawkeyes delivered a dominating old-school dismantling of Iowa State 35-7 at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes head west for their first road game of the season next Saturday against Arizona at Tucson.
• Purdue beat Western Illinois 31-21 in its home opener as Dan Dierking rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Western Illinois was tied with Purdue at 7-7 before the Boilermakers scored 10 points in the final 18 seconds of the first half.
• Illinois State and Northwestern met for the first time on Saturday as the Wildcats defeated the Redbirds 37-3. Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa, in just more than one half of play, completed 19 of 23 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns - and also ran for a score.
• San Jose State fell 27-14 to Wisconsin. But it wasn't a depressing loss for the Spartans, who were 38-point underdogs against the No. 11 Badgers. In fact, the Spartans showed plenty of moxie and even jumped around on the field after scoring their first touchdown of the season to cut Wisconsin's lead to 20-7.
• Southern Illinois didn't fare too well in Champaign Saturday night as Illinois picked up a 35-3 win. The Salukis were coming off a 70-7 victory against Quincy, but failed to find the same fire power against Illinois as the Illini defense kept Southern Illinois without a touchdown.
Comments
ThoseWhoStayUofM
Mon, Sep 13, 2010 : 11:11 a.m.
Answer me this: If Denard Robinson had 255 yards rushing and 244 yards passing, how did he accumulate 502 yards of total offense? Is there some other form of moving the ball down field on OFFENSE that doesn't include rushing or passing? Or are people really that bad at math that they can't figure out that 255 + 244 = 499 total yards? My guess is that 499 looks less impressive than if he had gotten 500+ so they just tacked on an extra 3 yards and called it equal. I hope I'm not just an idiot and forgot that you can _______ to accumulate more yards but... I just can't think of any way to move the ball down field without either rushing or passing.
PortageLkBlu
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 6:08 p.m.
John Agno, good valid points that need to be dealt with.
mike
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 2:05 p.m.
@sach can you say only 28 points because 2 missed field goals and a dropped touchdown pass 13 points left on the field
spartyisyourlilsister
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 12:47 p.m.
@Snatch Way better defensive coach in Brian Kelly. Pretty simple explanation.
Satch
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 11:47 a.m.
@Jake What do you base that statement on? Beckman and Brandstatter said the field was fine and weather wasn't a factor.
Old Salt
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 11:30 a.m.
When Denard Robinson scores a touchdown he kneels down, also when interviewed he says " Yes Sir and No Sir: or Yes Mam or NO Mam whay a nice young man. God Bless Him. is he a spiritual person,, can someone answer that for me? Does anyone from his family attend Michigan Games?
Jake Church
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 11:29 a.m.
@satch, weather conditions were way worse.
Satch
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 11:19 a.m.
So MC5A2, you're pleased with U-M going 3-16 on third downs because my gosh ND's defense is so vastly improved that even with incredible, un-defensible Pat White v2, and a greatly improved OL that dang it you just can't expect any sustained drives?
MC5A2
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 10:47 a.m.
@Satch Because Notre Dame's defense was awful last year, is improved under Coach Kelly, and every game and season are different.
Satch
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 10:27 a.m.
I have one question for all you Kool-Aid drinkers: how is it possible that Michigan dropped 38 points on ND last year, but this year could only manage 28, despite having incredible, amazing, next-Heisman-winner DRob at QB and a much improved offensive line? Hmmm?
MC5A2
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 10:11 a.m.
@NC Wolverine 20: Um, no. Like Coach Rodriguez, Kelly runs a spread offense so he would have had the same problems in the last two years. But unlike Rich Rod, he hasn't really proved himself as a Division 1 recruiter with only three seasons at Central Michigan and four at Cincinnati.
NC Wolverine 20
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 9:42 a.m.
This was an impressive win, but I think that Brian Kelly will eventually be a very successful coach at ND. Should UM have hired him 3 years ago instead of RR?
John Agno
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 9:28 a.m.
Yes, it was a close and exciting game. However, it might not have been so close if ND had their starting QB playing during the first half. Your sports page coverage was very light on the weaknesses that Michigan has to patch up soon to be in a position to beat MSU, Iowa and OSU later in the season. Much coaching needs to happen on the defensive side of the ball: too many missed tackles, waking up safeties asleep on-the-job, lack of pressure on the quarterback, and thoughtless penalities (late hits, holding and blocking on the wrong side, out-of-bounds tackles, etc.) On the offensive side: only one out of four field goal attempts doesn't make for a winning team and gaining some experience for backup quarterbacks during the UMass and BGU games can provide some winning season insurance.
BlueFan62
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 9:14 a.m.
Please Please Please Please stop rushing only 3 men! I was prepared for another Colorado finish. Why do coaches insist on giving the QB all the time in the world to stand there??? Eventually, someone comes open. Also, number 4 better learn how to cover!!! He made 3 glaring coverage mistakes. To let that tight end by him for a 95 yard TD pass, was putrid at best!! Go Blue!!!!
PortageLkBlu
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 4:22 a.m.
Can you imagine, Denard improved over game 1 and I thought our run defense looked good so, if I had to rate our team I would definitely say there was improvement. Just think, this rivalry next yr. will be under the lights, that should be an exciting scenario. I believe our coach has our Wolves headed in the right direction, Go Blue!