Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry

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Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry
Teams Michigan Wolverines
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Originated 1887
Series Michigan leads, 20-14-1
Current Champion Michigan
Notre Dame logo Michigan State logo

The Notre Dame - Michigan rivalry is the college football rivalry between the University of Notre Dame located in South Bend, Indiana and the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan is one of Notre Dame's many rivals, as Notre Dame has traditionally played Division I-A football independent from any conference affiliation. In its early years joining a conference, in particular the geographically-contiguous Big Ten Conference (Michigan's conference), would have provided stability and scheduling opportunities.[1] Conferences have periodically approached Notre Dame about joining[2], most notably the Big Ten in 1999.[3] Notre Dame elected to keep its independent status in football, feeling that it has contributed to Notre Dame's unique place in college football lore. Even so, many Big Ten teams appear on the Irish's schedule.

Notre Dame and Michigan first played in 1887 in Notre Dame's introduction to football.[4] The Wolverines proceeded to win the first eight contests, then after Notre Dame notched its first win in the series in 1909,[4] Michigan canceled the following year's matchup and boycotted Notre Dame for years. Thanks to Elmer Layden, Michigan returned to the schedule in 1942-43, On October 9, 1943, Number 1 ranked Notre Dame defeated Number 2 Michigan in the first matchup of top teams since polls began in 1936. After that, the Wolverines did not schedule the Irish again until the series was renewed in 1978, thanks to the efforts of athletic director Moose Krause. Including the 2007 season game, Michigan leads the overall series 20-14-1; however, Notre Dame holds a slight edge of 12-11-1 since 1978.[4] In the most recent series, Notre Dame and Michigan are even at 3-3. With Michigan back home in 2007, both teams were 0-2 for the first time ever; Michigan shut out the Irish 38-0. The two programs agreed to a 20-year contract extension in 2007 that will keep the game going through the 2031 season. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competitive leadership atop the college football all-time winning percentage board, as well as its competition for the same type of student-athletes.

Contents

[edit] Origins and early years

The University of Michigan began its football program in 1879 in a game against Racine College at White Stockings Park in Chicago, Illinois.[5] This was the first football game played in both team's programs, and was won by Michigam 1-0 (by a touchdown and a "goal" in early football rules).[5] Michigan had already had a good program going in the 1880s, and had been playing other elite teams like Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and Princeton.[5] Notre Dame had no football team until 1887, when players came from the University of Michigan to teach them the game of football.[5] Notre Dame and Michigan were actually friendly, not rivals, at the time, so Notre Dame began its football program under the guidance of the University of Michigan.[5] The first unofficial demonstration of American football at the university was coordinated by two former Notre Dame students, George DeHaven and Billy Harless as well as many members from the 1887 Michigan varsity team.[5] Soon after, Notre Dame's football program was officially founded with Michigan help.[5]

"Mr. DeHaven writes from Ann Arbor that the boys from the University of Michigan have such pleasant
remembrances of their Thanksgiving game here that
they would like to play here again."[6]
The Scholastic newspaper report, March 27, 1888.

American football did not have an good beginning at the University of Notre Dame. In their inaugural game on November 23, 1887 the Irish lost to the Michigan by a score of 8–0.[5] Their first win came in the final game of the 1888 season when the Irish defeated Harvard Prep by a score of 20–0. At the end of the 1888 season, they had a record of 1–3 with all three losses being at the hands of Michigan by a combined score of 43–9.[5] Michigan and Notre Dame did not play for the next ten years, and both programs improved over that time.[5]

Jesse Harper, an early coach of Notre Dame.
Jesse Harper, an early coach of Notre Dame.

At the beginning of the 20th century college football began to increase in popularity and became more standardized with the introduction of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS) in 1906. That organization would become the The National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1910. Both Notre Dame and Michigan joined the IAAUS.[7]

Both programs enjoyed success during these ten years. In 1913, helped to transform the collegiate game in a single contest. In an effort to gain respect for a regionally successful but small-time Midwestern football program, coach Jesse Harper scheduled games in his first season with national powerhouses Texas, Penn State, and Army. On November 1, 1913, the Notre Dame squad stunned the Black Knights of the Hudson 35-13 in a game played at West Point. Led by quarterback Charlie "Gus" Dorais and end (soon to be legendary coach) Knute Rockne, the Notre Dame team attacked the Cadets with an offense that featured both the expected powerful running game but also long and accurate downfield forward passes from Dorais to Rockne. This game has been miscredited as the "invention" of the forward pass but is considered the first major contest in which a team used the forward pass regularly throughout the game. (For example, Homer Woodson Hargiss regularly called the play for quarterback Arthur Schabinger at the College of Emporia as early as 1910.[8])

Michigan also enjoyed great success. From 1894 to 1900, the Wolverines had a combined record of 40-5-2.[9] The team was also champions of the Big Ten Conference in 1898, 1902, 1903, 1904, and 1906.[10] These Wolverine teams were led by William McCauley in 1894 and 1895, William Ward in 1896, Gustave Ferbert in 1897, 1898, and 1899, and Langdon Lea in 1900.

[edit] History

[edit] Rockne-Yost era

[edit] 1940s and 1950s

[edit] 1960s and 1970s

[edit] 1980s and 1990s

[edit] 2000 to present

[edit] Future

[edit] #1 vs. #2

[edit] Series facts

[edit] Game Results

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sperber, Murray (2002-09). Shake Down The Thunder: The Creation of Notre Dame Football. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-21568-4. 
  2. ^ Notre Dame courted but relishes football independence. usatoday.com (2003-07-01). Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  3. ^ Irish say 'no thanks' to joining Big Ten. mndaily.com (1999-02-08). Retrieved on 2008-05-05.
  4. ^ a b c 2007 Notre Dame Media Guide: History and Records (pages 131-175). und.cstv.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-24.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Kyrk, John (2004). Natural Enemies: Major College Football's Oldest, Fiercest Rivalry-Michigan vs. Notre Dame. Taylor Trade Publications. ISBN 1589790901. 
  6. ^ The Scholastic newspaper report, March 27, 1888.
  7. ^ The History of the NCAA. NCAA. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  8. ^ The Emporia Gazette Give Credit to C. of E.. Emporia Gazzette. Retrieved on 2008-05-24.
  9. ^ All-Time University of Michigan Football Record. University of Michigan. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
  10. ^ Michigan Football History Database. Big Ten Confrence. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.

[edit] External links

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