History of Notre Dame vs. Michigan Football

The folks at ESPN still have few hours left today to promote their PRIME TIME tilt between our Fightin' Irish and that school in Ann Arbor.  Here's a little primer on the history of this game.

Notre Dame's first ever football team is pictured above -- the 1887 team.

LINK:  HISTORY LESSON

LINK:  DENNIS DODD

Notre Dame Players Talk Big Game Tonight...

Took a lap around the worldwide web this morning to find what the Fightin' Irish players have to say about tonight's game...

LINK:  CHRIS WATT

LINK:  TOMMY REES

LINK:  T.J. JONES 

LINK:  JARRET GRACE

Coach Brian Kelly's Radio Show Thursday

Coach Brian Kelly was back at O'Rourke's Thursday night with his weekly radio show.  Here's the replay:

LINK:  COACH KELLY'S RADIO SHOW

Becca Huffer Wins Her First Pro Tournament!

Former Notre Dame golf star -- Becca Huffer '12 won the HealthONE Colorado Women's Open today in a playoff -- winning her first professional golf tournament!  Becca shot a -4 under round today -- to finish at -7 for the three-day tournament!!!

Huffer had an eagle, four birdies and two bogies in today's final round.  She won the tournament on the first playoff hole!

Congrats Becca!

LINK:  SCOREBOARD

Story on Jon Bon Jovi and His Son Jesse

Legendary rocker Jon Bon Jovi was seen last Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium -- watching his son Jesse run out of the tunnel with a GOLD HELMET for the first time.  Here's a link to the story:

LINK:  BON JOVI

Mel Kiper Jr. & Todd McShay Talk NFL Talent...

Everyone at ESPN is hyping tomorrow night's game between Notre Dame and Michigan.  Even the "NFL Draft Experts" were asked to weigh in on the NFL talent on both teams...

LINK:  NFL TALENT ON DISPLAY

"Michigan Has the Better Roster" -- Really?

You really have to wonder where some of these sports writers come up with this stuff.  Fox Sports' Greg Couch made the statement that Michigan has a better roster than Notre Dame...

Where did he come up with this?

LINK:  MICHIGAN HAS THE BETTER ROSTER

Here are the recruiting rankings from the last four classes -- which makes up these rosters -- and how Michigan and Notre Dame stacked up via RIVALS.  According to the "recruiting experts" Notre Dame has the best roster -- and it's not close!

INCOMING CLASS 2010:

• NOTRE DAME -- class ranked #14
• MICHIGAN -- class ranked #20

INCOMING CLASS 2011:

• NOTRE DAME -- class ranked #10
• MICHIGAN -- class ranked #21

INCOMING CLASS 2012:

• MICHIGAN -- class ranked #7
• NOTRE DAME -- class ranked #21

INCOMING CLASS 2013:

• NOTRE DAME -- class ranked #3
• MICHIGAN -- class ranked #5

Notre Dame Helmets -- Packed for Ann Arbor

The Notre Dame Football Equipment staff posted this "vine" of the most famous helmet in all of sport -- as it left for Ann Arbor, MI this morning.

LINK:  THE GOLD HELMET

Photo of Coach Brian Kelly Boarding Bus

The Fighting Irish left campus in the past few minutes to head to Ann Arbor for their "prime time" game on ESPN.  Here's a photo of Coach Kelly boarding one of the team buses -- "tweeted" by @NDFOOTBALL -- along with a link to the video of the buses leaving campus.

GO IRISH!

LINK:  VIDEO OF BUSES LEAVING CAMPUS

Game Predictions -- Notre Dame vs. Michigan

Took a lap around the web today to see who's pickin' who -- to win the game tomorrow night in Ann Arbor.  Here's what I found:

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS WRITERS

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS WRITER

LINK:  CBS SPORTS

LINK:  FOX NEWS

LINK:  GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

Four-Year Starter @ ND -- Perfect 4.0 Scholar!

Elizabeth Tucker '14 has a perfect 4.0, a NCAA National Championship ring, a NCAA Academic All-America honor and a great story...

LINK:  SHE'S PERFECT

Coach Kelly and Coach Belichick Talkin' Shop

Super Bowl Champion football coach Bill Belichick and Coach Brian Kelly met for the first time this past February when they were paired together in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.  Their three days together on the golf course has led to a number of subsequent conversations about football.  Here's a Yahoo Sports story on the subject:

LINK:  COACH KELLY & COACH BELICHICK

Coach Kelly's Last Media Session This Week

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly met with the media after yesterday's practice -- the last practice on campus until Saturday's game with Michigan.

LINK:  COACH KELLY'S MEDIA CONFERENCE

Brian Kelly Radio Show Tonight at 7 PM ET

Notre Dame fans can watch Brian Kelly's Radio Show -- tonight LIVE at 7 PM ET!

LINK:  WATCH IT LIVE RIGHT HERE

Michigan Fans to Wear Blue Flashing Bracelets

Notre Dame fans who will be attending Saturday nights game in Ann Arbor will easily identify the enemy -- they will we wearing "flashing blue" bracelets.  It's a new fashion statement in Washtenaw County.

LINK:  FLASHERS

ESPN's Coverage of Notre Dame vs. Michigan

The gang at ESPN is in full-hype mode right now as they promote Notre Dame's last visit to Michigan Stadium -- at least for a little while...

Here's what they're saying:

LINK:  DON'T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS

LINK:  TOP FIVE GAMES

Kirk Herbstreit Talks Notre Dame vs. Michigan

The gang at Mike & MIKE had College Gameday's Kirk Herbstreit on the air to talk about Notre Dame vs. Michigan.  Here's the link:

LINK:  HERBSTREIT ON THE GAME

Tommy Rees Talks Game With Michigan

Notre Dame QB Tommy Rees was interviewed by the gang at ESPN's College Gameday -- here's what he had to say about the Temple game and Saturday's game against Michigan:

LINK:  TOMMY REES

Detroit Free Press: "Notre Dame is Smart"

A long-time Detroit Free Press writer -- who happens to be a Michigan alum -- penned this story today about what his alma mater should do with their football scheduling...

LINK:  STOP SNIVELING!

Everett Golson's Fall Semester @ QB School

The South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen caught up with the "teacher" who will be working with Everett Golson this fall semester -- you'll enjoy this story!

LINK:  EVERETT'S FALL SEMESTER