Sep 8, 2013

Recap | Final Stats | Photo Gallery

• Notre Dame won the coin toss and elected toreceive. Notre Dame defended the north goal to open the game.
• Official kickoff was at 8:12 p.m. (ET) with a temperature of 75 degrees and 80% humidity. The weather was partly cloudy with winds from the southwest at 5 mph. The game officially ended at 11:42 p.m. (ET).
• A total of eight different Notre Dame receivers registered at least one pass reception during the game.
• Notre Dame’s 12-play, 90-yard touchdown drive on its first possession of the second half was the team’s longest scoring series in terms of plays and time of possession (5:25) this season.
• The game was played before an announced attendance of 115,109 fans, the largest crowd towatch a Division I football game in NCAA history.

The Loss To Michigan

• Drops Notre Dame to 1-1 on the season for the first time since 2010.
• Drops the Irish to 21-5 over their last 26 games overall and 21-3 over their last 24 regular season contests.
• Extends Notre Dame’s losing streak tofour games against Michigan in Ann Arbor.
• Drops the Irish to69-38-2 (.642) all-time in night games.
• Drops Notre Dame to146-132-10 (.524) all-time against teams ranked in the top 25.
• Drops the Irish to57-57-4 (.500) on the road against teams ranked in the top 25.
• Drops Notre Dame to76-38-5 (.660) all-time in road openers.
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish to866-302-42 (.733).
• Drops Notre Dame’s all-time road record to284-145-23 (.654).
• Drops the Irish to16-24-1 (.402) in the all-time series with Michigan.
• Drops Notre Dame to7-14-0 (.333) on the road in the all-time series with Michigan.
• Drops the Irish to14-11-1 (.558) all-time against the Wolverines when they are ranked in the top 25.
• Drops Notre Dame to6-6-0 (.500) all-time on the road against the Wolverines when they are ranked in the top 25.
• Drops the Irish when ranked in the top 25 to13-11-1 (.540) all-time against the Wolverines.
• Drops Notre Dame when ranked in the top 25 to6-7-0 (.462) on the road against Michigan.
• Drops the Irish when ranked in the top 25 to13-9-1 (.587) all-time against the Wolverines when ranked in the top 25.
• Drops Notre Dame when ranked in the top 25 to6-5-0 (.545) on the road against Michigan when ranked in the top 25.
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish against Big Ten foes to 233-125-16 (.644).
• Drops Notre Dame when ranked in the top 25 to6-5-0 (.545) on the road against Michigan when ranked in the top 25.
• Drops the all-time record for the Irish against Big Ten foes to 233-125-16 (.644).
• Drops Notre Dame’s road record against Big Ten foes to103-71-10 (.587).

Tommy Rees

• Senior quarterback Tommy Rees threw his 38th career touchdown pass (fourth of the season) toTJ Jones with 2:01 left in the first quarter. Rees was 4-for-6 for 56 yards on the 9-play, 75-yard Fighting Irish scoring drive (TOP 3:34).
• Rees added his 39th career touchdown pass (fifth of the season) on a 20-yard completion toTroy Niklas with 4:55 left in the third quarter.
• Rees threw for 314 yards, marking the first time in his Fighting Irish career the signal caller surpassed the 300-yard plateau in consecutive games (346 against Temple on Aug. 31).
• Rees moved past Jarious Jackson (’99, 4,820 yards) intosixth place all-time in career passing yardage at Notre Dame (5,073 yards).

DaVaris Daniels

• DaVaris Daniels’ 21-yard second quarter reception marked the eighth time (13th career game) that Daniels has had at least one reception of 20 yards or more in a game.

TJ Jones

• Senior captain TJ Jones caught his first touchdown of the season, his 11th career scoring reception, on a 4-yard connection with senior quarterback Tommy Rees with 2:01 remaining in the first quarter. Jones set a career-high with nine catches in the contest.
• Jones’ 18-yard punt return in the first quarter was the longest of his career, and the longest punt return by a Notre Dame player since Michael Floyd’s 41-yard gain on his first career return against Florida State in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl (Dec. 29, 2011).
• Jones has now registered at least one reception in 29 straight games played, hauling in multiple passes in 25 of those contests dating back tothe 2010 Sun Bowl on Dec. 31, 2010 against Miami (Fla.) (104 catches, 1,267 yards and eight touchdowns in that span.)

Corey Robinson

• Freshman wide receiver Corey Robinson hauled in his first career reception (a 12-yard catch) from senior quarterback Tommy Rees on the third Fighting Irish drive of the first quarter.

Ishaq Williams

• Junior linebacker Ishaq Williams recorded his first career sack on the opening Michigan drive of the third quarter, dropping quarterback Devin Gardner for an 8-yard loss on 3rd and 7 toforce a Wolverine punt.

C.J. Prosise

• Sophomore C.J. Prosise made his first career reception (16 yards) on the final Notre Dame play of the first quarter.

Kyle Brindza

• Placekicker Kyle Brindza converted his first field goal of the season, hitting from 44 yards totie the game at 10-10 in the second quarter. The made field goal was his longest since a 52-yarder on Nov. 24, 2012 at USC.
• Brindza has now connected on three or more field goals in a game four times in his Notre Dame career, and improved to26-35 (74.3 percent) overall with the Fighting Irish.

Troy Niklas

• Tight end Troy Niklas caught his second touchdown of the season, hooking up with quarterback Tommy Rees on a 20-yard reception with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter. Niklas has now scored three receiving touchdowns on 12 career catches.
• Niklas set career-highs in receptions (six) and receiving yards (76) against Michigan.

Stephon Tuitt

• Junior defensive end Stephon Tuitt scored his second career defensive touchdown, intercepting Devin Gardner in the end zone with 12:06 remaining in regulation. Tuitt returned a fumble 77 yards against Navy on Sept. 1, 2012.

George Atkinson III

• George Atkinson III’s 50-yard kickoff return in the third quarter was his longest since a 96-yard touchdown run back at Notre Dame Stadium against USC on Oct. 22, 2011.

Eilar Hardy

• Junior safety Eilar Hardy was credited with his first career tackle in the second quarter.

Jaylon Smith

• Freshman linebacker Jaylon Smith set a career-high with four tackles, and added one pass breakup.

Second Michigan Scoring Drive

• Wolverine quarterback Devin Gardner’s 61-yard touchdown completion towide receiver Jeremy Gallon was the longest pass play allowed by Notre Dame since Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson connected with Gallon on a 64-yard strike in the fourth quarter of the Sept. 10, 2011 matchup at Michigan Stadium against the Fighting Irish.

Captains

• The captains for Notre Dame were Bennett Jackson (CB), TJ Jones (WR) and Zach Martin (OL).
• The captains for Michigan were Cameron Gordon (LB), Courtney Avery (WR), Taylor Lewan (OL) and Jake Ryan (LB).