Error processing SSI filePresence of Weis adds to Notre Dame-U-M matchup
Charlie Weis: He began his era by defeating Pittsburgh. Weis is a Notre Dame alumnus and can be the first Irish coach since Knute Rockne in 1918 to open with back-to-back road victories.Related links
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ANN ARBOR -- The Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry is one of college football's best because the schools rank 1-2 in wins and winning percentage and perhaps in fight songs and helmets.
Whether the Wolverines are down and the Fighting Irish are up -- or vice versa -- usually the games are close and millions are watching on national television.
When No. 3 Michigan hosts No. 20 Notre Dame on Saturday, there's steak to go along with the sizzle.
The Irish beat then-No. 23 Pittsburgh 42-21 last week on the road in Charlie Weis' debut as coach. The Wolverines lived up to preseason expectations with a fabulous offense and a shaky defense in a 16-point win at home against Northern Illinois.
Weis' offense will be watched closely against a defense that has given up more than 400 yards in its last three games.
Maybe the only thing missing from the matchup is an adversarial relationship between Weis and Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, like some of their predecessors had.
"It's kind of interesting that (former Notre Dame coach Knute) Rockne and (Fielding) Yost did not get along," Carr said. "I don't think (former Michigan coach Fritz) Crisler and (Frank) Leahy liked each other very well.
"I think because of the fact that both of those men were ADs, as well as the football coach, we didn't play Notre Dame for a long time."
Though the rivalry started in 1887, the two schools have played just 32 times and Michigan leads the series 18-13-1.
Weis and Carr acknowledge they like and respect each other so much that Notre Dame's new coach spoke at Michigan's coaching clinic not long ago.
They first met about 15 years ago when Carr was visiting his friend, then-New York Giants coach Bill Parcells, who had Weis on his staff. They grew closer when one of Carr's former quarterbacks -- Tom Brady -- perfected Weis' offense with the New England Patriots.
Weis said if the Irish beat Michigan, Brady has to wear a Notre Dame football hat to his next news conference. Weis wouldn't say how he would settle his end of the friendly wager if the Wolverines win.
"I was rooting hard for Charlie last week," Brady said. "I think it's going to be a little different with the Wolverines. I don't think I'll be rooting as hard for Notre Dame."
Carr avoided questions this week about whether he had talked to Brady about Weis' offense.
Detroit Lions guard Damien Woody said Carr would've been wise if he did.
"I watched the game against Pittsburgh, and I knew what they were doing on almost every play because Charlie is running what we ran in New England," said Woody, who played for the Patriots from 1999-2003. "What's so tough about his offense is that it comes at you from all angles, on the ground and through the air, and it blends a bunch of different offensive philosophies."
Notre Dame suddenly appears to have a high-powered offense led by Weis -- who helped New England win three Super Bowls as offensive coordinator -- with talent left behind by fired coach Tyrone Willingham.
With quarterback Brady Quinn, running back Darius Walker and tight end Anthony Fasano, the Irish mixed a short passing game, occasional long passes and a power running game to score touchdowns on six of their first seven possessions last week.
The last time Quinn and the Irish were in Ann Arbor, he threw his first college passes in a 38-0 defeat.
"A lot of guys haven't forgotten," Quinn said. "I think that's something that a lot of guys will use to motivate themselves this week."
After losing at Notre Dame 28-20 last year, the Wolverines are also motivated because their seniors are 1-2 against the Irish.
"It's hard to put into words how important it is to myself and the entire team to come out with a win," said Michigan senior Pat Massey, whose brother is a teammate and father is a former Notre Dame player. "You always want to say that you have a good record against a rival. That just adds even more importance to this."
Michigan has won 16 straight games at home, dating to a 2002 loss to Iowa, and hasn't lost to a nonconference team at home in seven years since Donovan McNabb led Syracuse to a victory.
Notre Dame seems to have a realistic shot at stopping the streaks because of its high-powered offense and Michigan's porous defense
"When people talk bad about your defense, you go out and try to prove them wrong," Michigan outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley said.
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The Detroit News.
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