Notre Dame Moves Up a Spot to #16 in AP Poll

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are ranked #16 this week in the AP Top 25 Poll -- a move up of one spot from the AP's Preseason ranking.  If we continue this pace -- we'll be TOP FIVE come the end of November and PLAYOFF BOUND!

Michigan, Notre Dame's opponent this week, remains un-ranked after beating Appalachian State this past Saturday.

LINK:  AP TOP 25 POLL

Michigan Week: The MI Media Tuesday Report

Took a lap around the media landscape in "Pure" Michigan to see what they're saying this morning about Saturday's game between their Wolverines and our Fighting Irish.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS #1

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS #2

LINK:  DETROIT FREE PRESS #3

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS #1

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS #2

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS #3

LINK:  M-LIVE #1

LINK:  M-LIVE #2

Michigan Week: Trick Shot Monday Edition

Here's a look at today's TRICK SHOT MONDAY -- just click on the link below:

LINK:  TRICK SHOT MONDAY

First Gray Field Turf -- and Now This at EMU...

You have got to wonder who thought this was a great idea...

LINK:  EMU'S TEAM ENTRANCE

Michigan Football Talks Notre Dame Game...

Well, here's what the Wolverines coaches and players had to say today in Ann Arbor about Saturday night's game with our Fighting Irish.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  BRADY HOKE

LINK:  GREG MATTISON

LINK:  PLAYERS

LINK:  INSIDE MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

OT: Baylor's New Stadium -- Brick Wall Paper

The brand new Baylor football stadium hung a "wall paper" of bricks in its new $266 million home.

I guess a "quarter of a billion" can't buy you real bricks these days...

The bottom photo shows the white concrete Stadium walls before they hung the wall covering.

I'm guessing they didn't have time to get the brick work done for the opening game...

It is still a beautiful stadium.

South Bend Tribune's Hansen Talks "Poultry"

May of 2013, Michigan head football coach Brady Hoke made headlines when he said Notre Dame was "chickening out" of the football series between the two schools...

The school in Ann Arbor did beat us -- a few months later -- along their way to a 7 - 6 season.

The South Bend Tribune's Eric Hansen participated in an interview of Coach Brian Kelly yesterday -- where he brought up the choice of music that played inside Michigan Stadium at the end of last year's game...

LINK:  TALKING CHICKEN

Michigan Week: The MI Media on Monday Morn

I will be taking a lap around the "Michigan-wide" web each day this week -- looking for what they are saying about Saturday night's game with Notre Dame.  Just click on the links below:

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS

LINK:  DETROIT NEWS #2

LINK:  M-LIVE

Just Caught a Glimpse of this on Campus...

Don't know what to think about this walking into Notre Dame Stadium -- maybe we'll know more by the end of the week?

Vegas Gang Has Notre Dame Favored by 5 1/2

Found this story at MLive -- a Michigan web news site this evening...

LINK:  NOTRE DAME FAVORED

Full Game Replay: Notre Dame 48 - Rice 17

If you'd like to re-watch Notre Dame's game with Rice -- just click on the link below:

GO IRISH!

LINK:  FULL GAME REPLAY

ND Players Signed to Practice Squads Today

The NFL had to make their final roster cuts by 4 PM ET Saturday -- and a number of former Notre Dame student-athletes were released.  Today -- the players who cleared waivers at NOON ET could begin signing with NFL Teams' Practice Squads.

Here's the list (BELOW) of former Fighting Irish football players who will continue to get paid for playing professional football:

LINK:  NFL RULES -- PRACTICE SQUADS

That's Trevor Robinson, Cincinnati Bengals center, in the photo above.

LINK:  JONAS GRAY -- PATRIOTS PRACTICE SQUAD

LINK:  JACKSON BENNETT -- GIANTS PRACTICE SQUAD

LINK:  DAN FOX -- GIANTS PRACTICE SQUAD

LINK:  KONA SCHWENKE -- CHIEFS PRACTICE SQUAD

LINK:  TREVOR ROBINSON -- BENGALS PRACTICE SQUAD

LINK:  GEORGE ATKINSON -- RAIDERS PRACTICE SQUAD 

LINK:  BRAXSTON CAVE -- REDSKINS PRACTICE SQUAD

Domer Ian Gray Sees Son Play at Notre Dame

Ian Gray (II) is the 6'-8" 345 lb. behemoth (wearing #72) who started at left tackle yesterday afternoon for the Rice Owls.

Ian Gray (I) is a former Notre Dame student-athlete -- he played defensive tackle for the Fighting Irish in the late 70's.  Ian Sr., flew all the way from Saudi Arabia yesterday to see his kid play against Notre Dame.  Pretty awesome story...

LINK:  FATHER & SON

Everett Golson Gets Notre Dame Game Ball

Here's an "inside" look at a few of the key plays in the game as well as a look in the locker room before and after -- when Everett Golson received the game ball...

LINK:  GOLSON

LINK:  PRE-GAME

NBC Post Game Notre Dame Player Interviews

Found this at NBC's Notre Dame Central -- just click on the links below:

LINK:  CODY RIGGS INTERVIEW

LINK:  JOE SCHMIDT INTERVIEW

LINK:  SHELDON DAY INTERVIEW

Domer Hendrix '13 Throws for 318 Yards!

Former Notre Dame student-athlete Andrew Hendrix '13 had 318 yards passing and three TD's in his first collegiate start after enrolling in grad school at Miami University (Oxford).   Another Domer, tight end Alex Welch '13, was on the receiving end of one of those TD passes!

Hendrix is playing for former Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Chuck Martin -- who was flagged for two unsportsmanlike penalties in the final two minutes of the game...

Marshall beat the Redhawks of Miami 42 - 27.

LINK:  HENDRIX THROWS 3 TD'S

LINK:  VIDEO OF HENDRIX TD PASS

Week #1 College Football: Video of the Day

You have got to watch the Auburn ball boy run a 4.4 forty along the sideline -- classic!

LINK:  AUBURN BALL BOY

First Game Performances for ND Opponents

Took a lap around the web this evening to see how our future opponents fared in their opening games of the 2014 college football season.

Notre Dame's opponents are 8 - 3 so far this opening weekend -- with one game left to be played.

 Click on the link below:

LINK:  MICHIGAN 52 - APPALACHIAN STATE 14

LINK:  PURDUE 43 - WESTERN MICHIGAN 34

LINK:  SYRACUSE 27 - VILLANOVA 26

LINK:  STANFORD 45 - UC DAVIS 0

LINK:  NORTH CAROLINA 56 - LIBERTY 29

LINK:  FLORIDA STATE 37 - OKLAHOMA STATE 31

LINK:  OHIO STATE 34 - NAVY 17

LINK:  ARIZONA STATE 45 - WEBER STATE 14

LINK:  CALIFORNIA 31 - NORTHWESTERN 24 

LINK:  LOUISVILLE PLAYS ON MONDAY 

LINK:  USC 52 - FRESNO STATE 13

Michigan's Hoke: "Notre Dame Next Week..."

Here is Michigan's head coach Brady Hoke meeting with the media after the Wolverines' win over Appalachian State.  The win ties the all-time series record at 1 - 1 between these two schools.

LINK:  HOKE PRESSER

A Look at Notre Dame's Offensive Efficiency

Here's what the production looked like -- by position -- in today's 48 point outburst against Rice:

QUARTERBACK POSITION:

• 295 Yards Passing -- 14 for 22
• 99 Yards Rushing -- 14 carries
• 3 TD's Rushing
• 2 TD's Passing
• Zero Turnovers

RUNNING BACK POSITION:

• 182 Yards Rushing -- 28 carries
• 7 Yards Receiving
• 1 TD Rushing
• Zero Fumbles

RECEIVER POSITION:

• 288 Yards Receiving
• 13 Receptions
• 2 TD's

FINAL STATS:

• 23 First Downs
• 281 Yards Rushing
• 295 Yards Passing
• 576 Total Yards
• 48 Total Points
• 30:09 Time of Possession