Week 2 - Saturday September 10

Notre Dame (0-1) at Michigan (1-0)

First night game in the Big House and both teams will be in commemorative uniforms. Expect to see a little green, Irish fans, and believe it or not a logo on the side of the gold helmets. We know, we know...we're not happy about it either. Apparently it took the UM brass 5 years after Bo Schembechler’s passing to get up the nerve to go against his sacred word. Bo said “no” to night games in Michigan Stadium a long, long time ago, and that decree stuck…until this Saturday night.

Six of the last seven ND-UM games and 8 of the last 10 have been outright upsets per the Vegas line at kickoff and Michigan has won 5 of the last 6 against the Irish at home. Notre Dame opened as a 3.5 point favorite.

Two Wolverine defensive scores masked a pretty even, albeit rain-shortened Michigan win over Western Michigan last weekend. The 34-10 final was very misleading. When the game was called in the 3rd quarter, neither team had a first down advantage (17-17) and UM only had 9 more total yards than the Broncos (288-279). The Irish, meanwhile, managed to lose a game in which they accounted for 508 total yards on offense while giving up half that (254 total yards for USF). If I scratch my head anymore about that one, I’ll draw blood.

Michigan’s defense was awful last year and we don’t think it can be fixed yet. And word is that Denard Robinson is anything but comfortable in the pro set that Brady Hoke brought with him from San Diego State via Ball State.

IFP says: Notre Dame 31 – Michigan 27


Virginia (1-0) at Indiana (0-1)

UVA rolled over William and Mary (both of 'em) last weekend, 40-3. W and M was the #3 ranked FBS team in the nation before that one kicked off, but things got ugly in a hurry vs. the Cavaliers. Virginia outgained W&M 496-169 and didn't allow their FBS guests to cross the 50 yard line until 8:00 left in the 4th quarter. So that tells us…nothing really. Virginia finds itself in a rare road favorite's role this weekend (UVA -7 per the Mirage early line) and they will be featuring a young QB making his first road start in 6-3, 225 lb sophomore Michael Rocco. We think the Hoosiers will play a little better than last week, but will fall again to a more experienced team (18 returning starters for Virginia). This time in Coach Wilson’s home debut.

IFP says: Virginia 30 – Indiana 21


South Dakota State at Illinois (1-0)

The South Dakota State JackRabbits beat Southern Utah last weekend. And Illinois beat Arkansas State. So now Illinois meets South Dakota State for . . . oh, wait a minute. This isn’t a holiday hoops tournament finale on ESPN2 at 1:00 am? My bad.

Another tune-up for the Orange and Blue.

IFP says: Illinois 40 – South Dakota State 17


Eastern Illinois (1-0) at Northwestern (1-0)

Apparently Wheaton College, Elmhurst College, and Robert Morris College all had no flexibility in their schedule this weekend, and neither UIC nor Loyola has a football program, so Northwestern invited the EIU Panthers to visit on September 10th. I mean, c’mon. Eastern Illinois? Really?? The Cats get the weekend off with this Gateway Conference guest, for all practical purposes, after their thrilling road win over Boston College last weekend (a Wildcat win that IFP did not forecast, we must admit, to all of our purple-bleeding subscribers. That would be you, Mr. Horner.) Eastern beat Illinois State 33-26 last weekend, but we don’t think that will have much bearing on how this one will turn out.

Most embarrassing game on the Week 2 Big Ten slate?

IFP says: Northwestern 48 – Eastern Illinois 3


Rose-Hulman (0-1) is off this weekend. A trip to Kalamazoo, MI is next for the RHIT, to face the Kalamazoo College Hornets at Waldo Stadium (Western Michigan’s home field). K-Zoo blew out Bluffton last weekend in their opener, so the Fighting Engineers could have their hands full again.