Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry
| First meeting | November 23, 1887 Michigan 8, Notre Dame 0 |
|---|---|
| Latest meeting | September 6, 2014 Notre Dame 31, Michigan 0 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 42 |
| All-time series | Michigan leads, 24–16–1 |
| Longest win streak | Michigan, 8 |
The Michigan–Notre Dame football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Michigan football and Notre Dame football are considered to be among the most elite college programs. Notre Dame and Michigan respectively rank #1 (Michigan) and #2 (Notre Dame) in winning percentage and #1 (Michigan) and #3 (Notre Dame) in all-time wins. The rivalry is heightened by the two schools' competition for all-time win percentage, which each has held during their history, as well as national championships, with each school claiming 11.
Michigan is a member of the Big Ten Conference while Notre Dame football is independent. In 2013, Notre Dame joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in all sports except football and hockey but the football team would play five ACC opponents each season, starting in 2014. Notre Dame and Michigan reached a mutual agreement to suspend the series for the 2018 and 2019 football season. Notre Dame then decided to cancel the 2015 through 2017 games, citing the need to play ACC games. However, after cancelling the Michigan game, Notre Dame announced on September 4, 2014 that it had agreed to play Ohio State of the Big Ten in a home-and-home series in 2022 and 2023. It was announced that after a three-year hiatus, the series will resume in 2018 and 2019.
Notre Dame and Michigan first played in 1887 in Notre Dame's first football game. The Wolverines proceeded to win the first eight contests, before Notre Dame notched its first win in the series in 1909. In 1942, in the first meeting since 1909, Michigan beat then #4 Notre Dame in Notre Dame Stadium. The next season, on October 9, top-ranked Notre Dame defeated second-ranked Michigan in the first matchup of top teams since the creation of the AP Poll in 1936. The teams ceased to play each other until the series was renewed in 1978. It has since been played annually with the exception of hiatuses in 1983–84, 1995–96, and 2000–01. After the 2014 meeting, the series went on hiatus. However, the series will be renewed in 2018 and 2019. Michigan leads the series 24–16–1.
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