The Warm Take did a pregame analysis of what to expect from the 2019 edition of Michigan vs. Notre Dame. I detailed the quality of their opponents, the history of the rivalry, players to watch…yada yada yada. In the end, there was one bullet point to know heading into this game: It’s going to rain. Like, a lot.

One team handled it well. The other, not so much.

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Running wild

This was pure and utter Michigan domination in all phases of the game, but none more so than on the ground. It was a classic rainy game scenario where the team that would run the ball more effectively would come out on top. That rang true, as Michigan gutted Notre Dame 303-47 in total rushing yards. Three different Michigan ball carriers averaged over seven yards per carry, and none of them were named Zach Charbonnet, who didn’t exactly struggle (15-74, 2 TD).

Notre Dame simply couldn’t stop Michigan on the ground, even when they knew it was coming. At one point, Michigan ran the ball 18 consecutive times in the first half. Now that’s taking “you have to run to set up the pass” to a whole new level. There was just no stopping Michigan’s ground game once it got rolling. 

Ball Security

Ball security is a priority in every game, but the elements magnified this notion even more. Amazingly, Michigan, who has struggled mightily all season in this department, didn’t turn the ball over in this game. The ball was put on the ground a few times, which was to be expected in a wet game (Michigan still leads the nation with 2.5 total fumbles per game). Regardless, Michigan won the turnover battle against Notre Dame, who has made a living generating takeaways this season. 

Patterson’s confidence grows

I’ll be the first to admit, I thought what Shea Patterson displayed in the first half of this season is who he was always going to be: yet another quarterback with all the tools that regresses rather than improves in his Michigan career. He still may ultimately fit this description come seasons end. But in the past two games, Patterson has shown the kind of heart and poise that was missing in the loss to Wisconsin, as well as the less-than-impressive wins over outclassed opponents to open the year.

Patterson looks in complete command of Michigan’s offense right now and has shown improvement in all aspects of his game. He didn’t need to do much with his arm in this one (6-12, 100 yards, 2 TD) but he was efficient when called upon. He didn’t run for big yardage, but the threat kept the Irish from overcommitting to the RBs, leading to their successful days. The run-pass option has been working like a well-oiled machine, as Patterson has been making the right reads and decisions with the ball much more often than not. And all this has come against two of the country’s upper-tier defenses in Notre Dame and Penn State. Color me impressed, for the second week in a row.

Harbaugh gets a week off

Enjoy it while it lasts Jim Harbaugh. I have no criticism this week. If coming up short in the most important games of the season defines your legacy, you damn sure better offset those letdowns with a game like this one every now and again. Way to have your kids ready to win a big game.

Now for the bad news. Does this game change my opinion of Jim Harbaugh and his ability to take this program to greater heights than the 10-3 purgatory they are stuck in? Absolutely not. Not much was required from Harbaugh on the field in this one in terms of on-the-fly decision making, as the weather dictated the style of play. If anything, the rain simplified the in-game management for Harbaugh and OC Josh Gattis, which may have been a blessing in disguise. I still don’t trust the coaches as far as I can throw them.

The players deserve the credit for winning this one in the trenches. Harbaugh still needs a few more of these to turn off the hot seat.

The other side of disappointment

Michigan’s national title aspirations realistically ended over a month ago in Madison, and their Big Ten title hopes were largely extinguished last week in Happy Valley. Notre Dame, on the other hand, had their own playoff aspirations alive and well. Michigan was the last hurdle before potentially cruising to a one-loss season and second straight playoff berth. Stone Cold has something to say about that…

It is a rare occurrence that Michigan gets to play the role of spoiler instead of spoil-ee (is that a word? I was a psych major). When that opportunity presents itself in a rivalry game, you have to take advantage. Notre Dame even had a bye week to prepare for Michigan, but will now need to wait 14 years for their revenge. 

I’ve seen some bitterness from fans on the Twitter machine about how Michigan waited until the season was over to have their most complete performance. This season is not over. If a complete annihilation of a top ten Notre Dame team leaves you feeling bitter, maybe it’s time to recalibrate your priorities. Embarrassing a rival is a season defining-type event. Cherish these moments. They don’t come around often. 

Rivalry season is under way, and Michigan is undefeated. One down, two to go. Go Blue.

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