Watch: 99-Yard Kickoff Return Not Enough, Michigan Falls To Notre Dame

By The Wildcard September 1, 2018 at 8:22pm

The Michigan-Notre Dame series returned after a three-year hiatus and the 12th-ranked Fighting Irish became the latest rival to get the best of Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines.

Brandon Wimbush connected on a long touchdown pass to help Notre Dame jump out to a big first-half lead, Te’von Coney and the defense made it stand with a late takeaway, and the Fighting Irish beat No. 14 Michigan 24-17 on Saturday night.

The Wolverines fell to 1-6 under Harbaugh against the school’s biggest rivals: Ohio State, Michigan State and Notre Dame.

A green-out crowd welcomed Michigan back to Notre Dame Stadium and the Fighting Irish scored on their first two drives against a defense loaded with future NFL draft picks. Chris Finke hauled in a deep throw from Wimbush that went through a defender’s hands in traffic for a 43-yard score to put Notre Dame up 14-0 midway through the first half.

Wimbush, who had to re-establish himself as the starter in the offseason after a rough end to 2017, was 12 for 22 for 170 yards and an interception and ran for 59 yards.

“It just feels like playing football again,” said Wimbush, who got a game ball from coach Brian Kelly. “I just had so much fun out there, playing ball and just not worrying about anything else.”

Kelly said of his senior quarterback: “I thought he played with an edge to him, a confidence.”

Jafar Armstrong’s second touchdown, a 4-yard run with 3:55 left in the second quarter made it 21-3.

Ambry Thomas gave the Wolverines a much-needed jolted with a 99-yard touchdown on the ensuing kickoff, but otherwise the Michigan debut of quarterback Shea Patterson was mostly disappointing.

Ambry Thomas provides the first Michigan TD of the season. 99-yard kickoff return. pic.twitter.com/I1ziC5WV9U

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 2, 2018

Michigan’s only offensive touchdown came with 2:18 left in the fourth quarter, when Karan Higdon rushed in from 3 yards to cut the lead to 24-17.

Patterson, the touted transfer from Mississippi, went 20 for 30 for 227 yards and an interception. He spent a lot of time eluding pass rushers.

“They got us on the inside blitzes. They brought great pressure all night long,” Harbaugh said.

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Michigan got a final opportunity with 1:48 and got as far as its 45. Patterson was flushed out of the pocket and stripped by Jerry Tillery. Coney recovered the ball with 46 seconds and sealed Notre Dame’s second straight win against the Wolverines.

When they last met in 2014, Notre Dame snapped Michigan’s streak of 365 consecutive games without being shut out with a 31-0 win in South Bend. That loss also marked the beginning of the end of Brady Hoke’s tenure as Michigan coach.

Harbaugh does not come into this season fretting his job, but make no mistake his program could use a change in trajectory. The Wolverines are 9-9 in their last 18 games and have dropped 17 straight road games against ranked teams, dating to 2006.

“Where are we at?” Harbaugh said. “We’re at the beginning. We fought hard, competed well. There’s things we can build on. It’s not the end. It’s the beginning for us.”

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

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