Sept. 16, 2006
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
FINAL SCORE: Michigan 47, Notre Dame 21
Notre Dame’s captains for the 2006 season are senior QB Brady Quinn (offense), senior DB Tom Zbikowski and senior LB Travis Thomas (special teams). All three men were selected for the season-long honor by their teammates, with Quinn serving as the offensive captain for the second consecutive season. Zbikowski and Thomas are first-year captains, although Thomas was selected as special teams captain for last season’s opener at Pittsburgh (the special teams post was chosen by the Irish coaching staff on a week-to-week basis in 2005 before returning to a preseason vote this year).
Today’s attendance of 80,795 is the 187th consecutive sellout at Notre Dame Stadium. Since 1966, every Notre Dame home football game has been a sellout except one – a 1973 Thanksgiving Day game vs. Air Force. The Irish have now played in front of sellouts in 235 of their last 236 home games.
Notre Dame won the toss and elected to receive. Michigan defended the south end zone in the first half.
Notre Dame was ranked second in the Associated Press poll at kickoff. Michigan came into the game ranked 11th in the AP poll.
Law enforcement officials made three arrests on felony counts of counterfeiting and theft outside the stadium.
THE NOTRE DAME DEFEAT…
… made Notre Dame 2-1 for the third consecutive season.
… snapped its winning streak over Michigan at two games overall and three games at Notre Dame Stadium.
… was its first loss against Michigan at Notre Dame Stadium since 1994.
… dropped the Irish to 14-19-1 in the all-time series against Michigan.
… dropped the Irish to 7-8-1 in the all-time series with the Wolverines in games played at Notre Dame Stadium.
… dropped Weis’ Notre Dame record to 11-4 overall, 1-1 against Michigan and 3-3 against Big Ten foes.
… snapped Notre Dame’s home winning streak at five games.
… dropped Weis’ Notre Dame record to 5-3 in home games.
… dropped Weis’ Notre Dame record to 6-4 in afternoon games.
… dropped Weis’ Notre Dame record to 5-2 in September games.
… dropped Notre Dame’s all-time record to 813-267-42.
… dropped Notre Dame’s all-time record at home to 292-90-5.
… dropped Notre Dame’s all-time record against the Big Ten to 214-107-15.
NOTRE DAME TEAM NOTES
The Wolverines’ first quarter interception return for a touchdown by Prescott Burgess was the first by a Notre Dame opponent since Sir Darean Adams (Michigan State) on Sept. 17, 2005. The touchdown, only 41 seconds into the game, was the earliest by an Irish opponent since 1979 (when scoring times were included in game summaries). Burgess added a second interception in the third quarter to become the first player to record a pair of interceptions in one game since Josh Lay of Pittsburgh on Nov. 13, 2004.
The 69-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Mario Manningham was the longest play from scrimmage for a Notre Dame opponent this season and longest since an 85-yard touchdown reception by Santonio Holmes of Ohio State in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.
Michigan’s 20 first-quarter points were the most allowed by Notre Dame in a single quarter since Nov. 13, 2004 when Pittsburgh totaled 21 in the second quarter of a 41-38 victory. The 20 points are the most for an Irish foe in the first quarter since USC scored 21 in the opening stanza on Oct. 18, 2003.
The Wolverines’ 34 first-half points were the most allowed by Notre Dame in an opening half since Michigan State posted 42 on Sept. 12, 1998. In fact, the 34 first-half points by Michigan were the most by an Irish opponent at Notre Dame Stadium since Purdue exploded for 45 points in the first half on Oct. 1, 1960. The 34 points is also the most by an opponent at Notre Dame Stadium in either the first or second half since USC scored 35 in the second stanza on Oct. 20, 1979.
The 20-point (34-14) halftime deficit was the largest for the Irish since Nov. 1, 2003 when Florida State took a 23-0 lead into intermission.
Mario Manningham is the first player to register three touchdown receptions in a single-game against Notre Dame since Pat Fitzgerald of Texas on Sept. 23, 1995.
Michael Hart is the first player to have 30 or more carries against Notre Dame since Chris Perry of Michigan had 31 carries in 2003. Hart finished with 31 carries on the day. He finished the game with 124 rushing yards. That’s the first time an opposing back ran between 100-149 yards since Antonio Pittman of Ohio State ran for 136 yards in the 2006 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Michigan became the seventh team to ever score 40 or more points in a game at Notre Dame Stadium. The 47 points surrendered by the Irish were the most at home since a 51-19 loss to Purdue on Oct. 1, 1960. It also ties the second-most points scored by a visiting team at Notre Dame Stadium. Michigan State scored 47 points on Oct. 20, 1956.
Notre Dame committed five turnovers on the day, the most for the Irish since Nov. 2, 2002 against Boston College.
The last time Notre Dame was held to 50 or fewer rushing yards was on Nov. 5, 2005 versus Tennessee when the Irish were held to 48 yards rushing. The Irish had four yards of rushing in today’s game.
Michigan DE LaMarr Woodley returned a fumble 54 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The last time an opponent returned a fumble for a touchdown against Notre Dame was on Oct. 19, 2002 when Marchello Graddy returned one 21 yards for Air Force.
NOTRE DAME PLAYER NOTES
Notre Dame senior QB Brady Quinn was picked off in the first quarter. The interception was the first by Quinn in 143 attempts – a Notre Dame school record. The turnover was the first for the Irish in 2006 and the first dating back to the second quarter of the Stanford game a year ago. The no-turnover streak spanned 43 drives, 273 plays and 215:03 on the game clock.
Irish senior QB Brady Quinn tossed three interceptions for the first time in a single-game since Sept. 11, 2004 against Michigan.
Quinn recorded three touchdown passes in a single-game for the 10th time in his career.
With his 13th completion of the game, Quinn surpassed 700 for his career.
With his first-quarter interception, Notre Dame senior CB Chinedum Ndukwe recorded his second pick of the season and fourth of his career.
Irish senior FB Ashley McConnell registered his first career reception and touchdown on the same play, a three-yard pass from Brady Quinn in the first quarter.
Notre Dame senior P Geoff Price’s 59-yard punt in the third quarter was his fourth 50+ yard punt of the game and seventh of the season. Price set a school record (mimimum five punts) with a single-game average of 51.9. The previous school record was 51.6 set by Joe Restic against Air Force on Oct. 18, 1975.
Irish senior DT Derek Landri’s blocked PAT was the first for Notre Dame since Nov. 21, 1998 against LSU.
Following a 10-yard completion to David Grimes in the second quarter, Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn surpassed 9,000 career total yards.
Notre Dame sophomore WR David Grimes entered today’s game with two career receptions. He had four on the afternoon, including a career-high 20-yard grab in the second quarter.
The second-quarter touchdown catch for Irish senior WR Jeff Samardzija was his second of the season and 17th of his career. He moved into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time touchdown receptions list with 17.
Irish senior TE John Carlson had a career-best 33-yard catch in the fourth quarter. Carlson’s previous career-high was a 32-yard grab against Penn State last week.
Junior RB Darius Walker’s seven receptions equals a career-high, which was set last week versus Penn State and against Ohio State in the 2006 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Senior WR Jeff Samardzija’s 30 receiving yards moved him into 8th place all-time passing Malcolm Johnson (1995-98).
Senior WR Rhema McKnight’s 76 receiving yards puts him over the 1,600-yard mark for his career. His five receptions on the day move him past Tony Hunter (1979-84) for 7th on the all-time receiving list.
Junior RB Darius Walker’s 10 carries and 25 yards rushing were the second fewest of his career. His career lows came against BYU on Oct. 22, 2005 when he had seven carries for 17 yards.