Michigan Wolverines vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Match Player Stats On Sep 22, 2012

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 22, 2012

No. 15 Notre Dame 13, No. 17 Michigan 6: Tommy Rees came off the bench to lead the lone touchdown drive and Notre Dame forced six turnovers to dispatch Michigan.

Rees completed 8 of 11 passes for 115 yards and ran for a score and Theo Riddick rushed for 52 yards on 17 carries for the Irish (4-0), who snapped a three-game losing streak in the series and are off to their first 4-0 start since 2002.

The Wolverines outgained Notre Dame and had more first downs but were done in by the sloppy play of quarterback Denard Robinson, who completed just 13 of-24 passes for 138 yards and four interceptions. Robinson added 90 yards rushing but also fumbled once.

Michigan had several chances to take the lead in the opening quarter but was turned away in the red zone. Robinson was sacked twice and Brendan Gibbons missed a 43-yard field goal attempt. On the Wolverines’ first trip inside the 20, an ill-advised halfback pass from Vincent Smith was intercepted in the end zone on the next chance.

Robinson, who accounted for 948 yards of total offense in his last two games against Notre Dame, was intercepted on four consecutive possessions in the second quarter. The Irish turned the first into a field goal and went to Rees after the third. The junior quarterback drove Notre Dame 48 yards and kept it for a 2-yard score and a 10-0 lead with 1:21 left in the first half.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Irish sophomore quarterback Everett Golson was lifted after completing just 3 of 8 passes for 30 yards and a pair of interceptions. … Notre Dame captain Manti Te’o paced the defense with eight tackles and two interceptions. … Michigan had taken each of the last three meetings with last-minute touchdowns but did not get that chance again as Riddick rumbled for a key first down on the final drive to allow Notre Dame to run out the clock.