10 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 15, 2006 PROCRASTINATION STATION What to Watch Wondering which college football games to watch before and after Michigan's tilt with Notre Dame? Look no further, Daily Sports has got you covered. NOT RE DAME .S MICHIGAN 44 Before every football game this season, two of the Daily's football writers will take the weekend's matchup to the -PlayStation 2 and then let you know what happened. " Play of the game - With Michigan up 20-10 in the third quarter, Michigan CB #29 stepped in front of a QB #10 throw and took it 35 yards for the dagger that killed Notre Dame coach Matt Singer. " Player of the game - Michi- gan DE #56 was unstoppable. He collected four sacks and wreaked havoc on QB #10. PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES: Michigan coach Kevin Wright: "I've waited all summer to take it to coach Singer. Even with the crowd relentlessly heckling me, I pulled it out." "Ever since I started coaching, I've been the Ron Zook of this league. Now the tables have turned, so watch out." "Coach Singer made a living beating bad teams. His cockiness finally did him in. He got what was coming to him. He's been humbled to the point where he needs to lose weight." "So got some criticism for going for it on fourth and 14, from my own 20, and not making it. But it paid off for me in the end, 1 think." Notre Dame coach Matt Singer: "This was easily the most pathetic moment of my coaching career. Coach Wright is the laughingstock of the NCAA, and I let him embarrass me today. I'm ashamed." "Every single person on my team should cry himself to sleep at night. Where were my great receivers? Where was my superstar QB? Where was SS #9 when the sure 1NT hit him in the chest? They disgraced themselves, their school, and yes, even their families today." "I'm fat." IRISH Continued from page 8 the Wolverines' passing game at this point because they have been riding their unstoppable rushing attack. Notre Dame isn't a great defensive squad, and its defense has been incon- sistent at best. But the Irish have held their opponents to an average of 183 passing yards per game. Look for the Wolverines to try to jump-start their sluggish passing attack against Notre Dame but find only modest success. Edge: Push Michigan rushing offense vs. Notre Dame rushing defense: With an average of250 yards on the ground per game, Michigan boasts the I I I I 10th-best rushing attack in the nation. Tailback Mike Hart ranks seventh in Division I-A with 262 yards. But the biggest reason for the resurgence of the Wolverines' run game has been their depth. Sophomore Kevin Grady had another solid game last week with 12 carries for46 yards. As great as Michigan has been running the ball, Notre Dame has been almost as bad defending against the run. Through two games, the Irish have given up 277 yards on the ground, making their run defense 73rd in Division I-A. Even so, Michigan's backfield is too talented for Notre Dame's subpar run defense to slow it down. Edge: Michigan Notre Dame passing offense vs. Michigan passing defense: Irish quarterback Brady Quinn started the year as the Heisman front- runner, though his stock dropped a bit after his lackluster debut at Geor- gia Tech. But the senior's big game last week put him solidly back in the running. Quinn completed 25 of 36 passes for 287 yards and three touch- downs against the always tough Penn State defense. The Wolverines have made pres- suring the quarterback an art form in their first two games this season. As a team, Michigan has recorded 10 sacks, third in Division I-A. But the Wolverines haven't played an offense as talented as Notre Dame's yet, and the Irish receiving corps will test Michigan's corner- backs. Quinn might get hit a few times, but the Irish should be able to move the ball through the air against the Wolverines. Edge: Notre Dame THE POWER TO TEXT FREELY WITH SPRINT. Notre Dame rushing offense vs. Michigan rushing defense: With Notre Dame's high-powered offense getting most of the attention, tailback Darius Walker is almost an afterthought. After two games, Walk- er has 42 carries for 155 yards and one touchdown. The scary part for Michigan fans is that Walker always shows up big against the Wolverines. In 2004, Walker amassed 115 yards on 31 carries; last year, he gained 104 yards on 26 carries. Michigan's run defense has been nearly impenetrable in its first two games. Against Vanderbilt, the Wol- verines gave up 46 net rushing yards; last week they allowed just 16. Mich- igan's defense ranks fourth in the nation against the run. Through two games, the Wolverines have notched 19 tackles for loss, which places them in a tie for fifth in Division I-A. Walker will give Michigan its first real test of the season, but the Wol- verines' run stopping looks too good to let Walker have a big day. Edge: Michigan Special teams: Michigan continues to play musi- cal punters, using either fifth-year senior Ross Ryan or redshirt fresh- man Zoltan Mesko depending on the situation. On kickoffs, the lower tee has hindered Ryan's ability to kick the ball as high and deep as he did last season. That hurt the Wol- verines' kickoff coverage last week, and Michigan gave up 188 yards on kickoff returns. Notre Dame's Tom Zbikowski is one of the top punt returners in the nation, even though he hasn't broken abig returnyetthis season. The Irish's field-goal kicking has been shaky. Placekicker Carl Gioia has missed 2- of-4 field goals this season. If it comes down to a field goal, Michigan has the advantage. Other- wise, look for Zbikowski to have a big day. Edge: Notre Dame Intangibles: Michigan hasn't won its road opener since 1999. It hasn't beat Notre Dame on the road since 1994. The Wolverines will probably get a little boost from being the under- dog, but it's less clear if whatever has stopped them from winning their first road game for the last six seasons has been remedied. Notre Dame Stadium has one of the most electric atmospheres in col- lege football. Loud fans, decades of tradition, Touchdown Jesus - it's hard for any visiting team to go in there and win. Michigan is used to the trappings of a big-time college football game, so that shouldn't faze them. Even so, home-field advantage gives the Irish the nod. Edge: Notre Dame New ultra-thin Katana" by Sanyo' Available in 3 colors Built-in camera BIuetooth*technology Get 300 free text messages a month for 12 months. In-store exclusive offer for students with valid college ID. After 12 months, pay the regular monthly fee Take pictures, listen to music and text, text, text on Sprint's slim new phones. These new phones start at $79.99 after instant savings and mail-in rebate. 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