The Shea Patterson hype didn’t live up to it’s potential Saturday in South Bend.
The junior Ole Miss transfer went 20 of 30 for 227 yards but averaged just 7.6 yards per reception and recorded an interception in a 24-17 loss to No. 12 Notre Dame to kickoff the season.
“Nobody really wants to start off like that. But our defense and our special teams put us in really good situations to make something happen,” said Patterson after the game. “Early on I took a sack, was in field goal range … At the end of the game ball security was huge.”
No. 14 Michigan (0-1) again suffered at the hands of a rival, proving unable to overcome the might of Notre Dame (1-0).
“Yeah, we didn’t make enough explosive plays,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Probably didn’t run the ball as well as we would like. Credit to Notre Dame’s defense.”
The Wolverines narrowly out-gained the Irish in offensive production, putting up 307 yards to 302, but it was Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush who was the star of the day.
Wimbush finished 12 of 22 for 170 yards with a touchdown and throwing a pick. His unit dismantled the vaunted Michigan defense, with the Irish adding another 132 yards rushing.
The Irish struck first on the opening drive, capped off with a Jafar Armstrong 13-yard scoring run. Chris Finke caught a 43-yard touchdown reception over six minutes later, making it a 14-0 deficit early for the Wolverines.
Quinn Nordin put Michigan on the scoreboard with a 28-yard field goal in the second quarter, but Armstrong notched his second scoring run of the day– a 4-yard dash – to make it 21-3. Michigan’s first touchdown of the day came off a 99-yard kick return by Ambry Thomas to make it 21-10 at the half.
“It was a middle return,” said Harbaugh. “He was able to break some arm tackles, and then show some real heart when he got into the open field. Was able to finish off that, gave us a great spark.”
Notre Dame’s Justin Yoon notched a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter to end the Irish’s night offensively.
Michigan began to mount a rally off a 3-yard Karan Higdon touchdown run in the final quarter, but failed to complete the comeback.
Entering the game, the Wolverines were 1-5 against rivals Michigan State and Ohio State. Adding Notre Dame to the list – the last game was played in 2014 between the two midwestern rivals – makes that a 1-6 record.
Michigan opens the home slate of its schedule Sept. 8 at the Big House against in-state foe Western Michigan.
