ANN A♉RBOR, Mich. — Michigan coach Brady Hoke — the man who told booster🍸s last spring that Notre Dame was chickening out of this storied Midwest rivalry — said his players were not angry at the slight.
We will take him at his word. When the future of a young season is on the line and there is an on-campus — and NCAA — record 115,109 fans transforming the Big Ho🃏use into a bee hive of emotion, anger only can get in the way.
But make no mistake, Michigan fans were angry and bitter and insulted. They hooted at Notre Dame fans, the ones bold enough to walk through downtown in the ho𝔉urs leading up to the game. They looked those Irish fans in the eye and shouted, “Notre Dame ‘Bleeps!’
Michigan hasn’t had a voice in the national championship conversation since 2006, but after last night’s 41-30 win in the last scheduled game here in this rivalry, the Wolverines served n⛎otice they are on the rise.
And Notre Dame was just a stepping stone.
“This isn’t the game we want,’’ quarterback Devin🔴 Gardner said. “The Big Ten championship, the Rose Bowl. Thi⛦s isn’t the one we really want.’’
Take that Notre Dame. Last September, Irish officiaℱls sent their Michigan counterparts a letter ending a series that began in 1887, though last night’s game was only the 41st.
The Irish have joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in all sports except football and hockey. The price for maintaining its “independence” and finding a ho🧔me for its other sports was an agreement to play five ACC foes each season.
Something had to give from a scheduling standpoint and Notre Dame decided Michigan 𝓡would get the cut. The Wolverines lead the series 24-16-1, with next year’s game in S🅺outh Bend remaining.
𒈔Hoke was asked if his players were angry about the series ending.
“I don’t think so,’’ he said. “I think we were playing Notre Dame. They always take that, and I’m going ba༒ck to the Michigan teams that I coached on when I was an assistant, I just think there are certain games you get very excited about.’’
This was one. The Wolverines led 27-13 at halftime as Gardner, wearing No.98 to honor Michigan’s first Heisman Trophy winner, Tom Harmon, stung Notre Dame’s defense. In last season’s 12-0 campaign, the Irish didn’t allow more than 26 points in a g🅺💫ame.
Gardner, the converted wide receiver, came of age, rushing for 82 yards and one touchdown, completing 21-of-33 passes for 294 yards with four touchdowns and shaking off arguably the most gru🧸esome interception ever thrown by a Michigan quarterback.
The Wolverines got off to a 10-0 start when Gallon came clean over the middle and busted out of some ♑lame Notre Dame tackling. The Irish surged back to 10-10. It was 20-13 when Countess made the defensive play of the night.
Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees, rolling leꦿft, threw across his body, rarely a good idea. Countess picked the pass and returned it 30 yards to the Notre Dame 23. Gardner hit Gallon on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Instead of going into halftime tied or down 20-16, the Irish were in a 27-13 hole.
When the Irish got to within 27-20 in third quarter and had Mich📖igan facing a third and eight at its 24, Gardner gave Michigan fans reason to think that a Big Ten title is possible.
He ran 10 yards🐼 for a first down and then hit Gallon for 41 yards on the next play. He capped the drive with a 1﷽3-yard scoring pass to Gallon. Michigan was up 34-20 and in control. Or not.
Gardner committed one of the great blunders in college qꦍuarterbacking history. With ꦆ12:06 left and the ball at the Michigan 16, Gardner retreated into his end zone and tossed the ball up for grabs.
Notre Dame’s Stephon Tuitt plucked it before the ball hit the grass for a touchdown and siꦓlencing of all fans Michigan. The defensive touchdown made it 34-27 and gave Nꦉotre Dame hope.
“It was,’’ said Gardner, “a horrible decision.’’
The Irish got to within 34-30 with 9:15 left. But Gardner settled down and led the Wolverines on a 75-yard scoring drive that culmin꧅ated in a four-yard touchdown pass to Drew D🐽ileo, who will be the answer to a great trivia question:
Which Michigan player scored the touchdown in the last game in the Big 🔯House against Notre Dame?
“I don’t even [know how it felt] to take that knee [at the end of the game],’’ Gardner said. “We still have unfinishedꩲ busines🧸s.’’
Sometimes college football is a business. Saturday night it was a gaꦛme, one Michigan fan✃s never will forget.