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If it happens that ND beats UM 20-something to 20-something, it is not a sign I am prescient at all.  It could well be 6-4 in double OT.  That should be a fun game, one of quite a few this weekend I think.  We should "think" we know more come Monday.

We probably don't though.

this is how I feel.
ND should have a really good defense. Michigan should have an elite defense.
Neither of those offenses will do much imo.
First one to 17 points wins.
Unless there are special teams and/or defensive touchdowns- 17 points is all it'll take to win.

I don't think we know enough about the M offense to say that yet. I'm a little nervous with McCray & Hurst absent from the defense, but there's a lot of talent that returned so hopefully not a significant dropoff. I think this is low scoring, with one exception, Patterson is the real deal and explodes onto the scene. I don't expect that. 

GO BLUE!

Go shower.

If anyone can crack a D with an entire off-season to prepare, it's BK.

From the other page:

https://mobile.twitter.com/PFF_Gordon/status/668322924424781824

If we're basing our expectations for this season off of last year's results (and we mostly are), looking at 2017 in hindsight, Notre Dame lost to the teams they were expected to lose to, and beat the teams they were expected to beat. The same is true for Michigan, except perhaps in their bowl game. Each had performances that raised eyebrows, even in hindsight. The Irish crushed USC, took eventual runner-up Georgia to the wire, and handled MSU without difficulty...but they squeaked by Navy and Wake Forest and were embarrassed in Miami. Michigan had fewer highs and lows. They were smoked by Penn State and needed OT to get past Indiana. The biggest question mark on their schedule remains their bowl loss. 

Both were good, but neither team was a world beater last season. Michigan appeared to have the better defense, but when playing the top teams, it cracked. Notre Dame's defense didn't do as well under the eye test, but the Irish beat better teams than Michigan did (USC and LSU). And against their only common opponent, Michigan lost at home to MSU, and the Irish crushed MSU in East Lansing.

With graduation, recruiting, and a summer to think about it--as well as playing a tough, emotional game to start the season, it's hard to do much more than react to last season and hope the ball bounces the way you want it to.

Because I want the ball to bounce ND's way, I'll point out that Notre Dame appears to be coming off a better season than Michigan preparing for the big game, i.e., the bowl game, ND got it done, Michigan did not. Since this is game one against an old and hated rival, this feels kind of like a bowl game. So I like that. I also like that it's at Notre Dame.

But if I were a Michigan fan, I would point out Michigan's defense and Notre Dame's less predictable tendencies.

Notre Dame 13, Michigan 10.

I worry most about missing Mo Hurst. He was a Top 10 player last year, regardless of position. I don't think linebacker is of concern, though. I think McCray was great against very traditional offenses, but wasn't born for the modern era. No more than a guess but Gil or Ross don't worry me. Back to Hurst, unless Rashan and Winovich just go off also, I think even if Dwumfour, Solomon, and Mone are all hits in productivity, Michigan could still hugely miss Hurst. He was a different kind. And I know MDot is most worried about the safeties. They're my second concern, but I don't think it's as impactful to the game as interior DL, love the idea of Ambry at nickel and its effect on all the DBs, and am excited to see what Don Brown can do with these particular returnees in his third year.
It does feel like good news that after thinking those 2-3 "could really work except we'll have to see," I don't think I have a single anxiety about the entire defense.

Hurst is a loss. For sure. McCray...hate to be that guy- but eh not so much. Don Brown loves to play his LB's and safeties in man. McCray got smoked every single time he was forced to play in man coverage. It was bad. Real bad. Devin Gil is a former HS safety who can really scoot for a LB'er. Josh Ross is going to be a player. Every insider report over the last year plus has been raving about the kid. He's a much faster/quicker athlete than McCray as well.

As for Hurst- you'd hope you can make up for some of that loss of production with Gary and Winovich taking their games up a notch and having more depth along that DL rotation this year. Last year they really lacked depth. Won't be a problem this year. As good as Gary and Winovich were last year- they have lot of room to get even better. Winovich was a first time starter ever- and Gary was only a true soph in his first year as a starter. Gary is just scratching the surface. He's primed to hit his peak this year and off to the NFL as a top 5 pick.

The safeties are honestly the only thing about the defense that scares me. Don Brown loves to play them in man and they just can't do it. Look at the OSU game and the Penn State game. When did either team have success throwing the ball on offense? When they isolated McCray on the RB or TE or Kinnel & Mettelus in man to man on the slot receiver. Watch the tape again. Those were the real weak points of that defense. That starting CB duo of Long & Hill honestly really didn't give up much to anyone- even the better teams.

The Cornerback position is loaded. Hill and Long are future NFL draft picks. And Brandon Watson has taken a huge jump this off-season as it sounds like he's been fighting tooth and nail to keep another future NFL draft pick CB off the field in Ambry Thomas. Watson might be the most improved player on the defense in fall camp- sure sounds like it.

This was the youngest defense in the country last year. Replaced 10 starters from 2016. Most of the starters and depth players were freshman or sophomores. It was a super young defense. Still finished 3rd in total defense and #10 in the S&P+ defensive rankings. An entire year of game experience, another spring ball and fall camp- Brown is just going to be able to install more wrinkles and get these guys on the same page playing faster. The defense should be absolutely fantastic.

The ONLY thing that scares me to death is the safety position. Mettellus is pretty bad to be quite honest and Kinnel is just average. Wouldn't be that big of a problem- but Don Brown asks those guys to play way more man to man coverage than he should.

It's also year three of Don Brown. He's had a Top 5 defense for 3 years running, twice at #1. And now with 9 returning starters including these corners, these LBs and these ends. I can't remember if the total number of guys was 6 or 8, but over the summer PFF publiushed an All-Big Ten 1st team defense on returning production. Michigan had more than half of the 11. Defense is going to be fun.

the defense is loaded with NFL players. Winovich and Gary are going to be NFL draft picks along the DL. Bush and Hudson at LB. Hill and Long at CB. Lot of high level talent on that defense everywhere except.....safety.