ND 24, Michigan 17

[Jeff Buchanan]

20 Days

https://youtu.be/ZV9af8EO8hc

[Jeff Buchanan]

Early but not that early. As of today, M is a 2 point favorite. I have no idea how this game is going to go. You can't watch video previews of this game not just laughing out loud. TV Sports commentators are terrible. Terrible!

Written previews aren't much better.... and fan sites, on both sides, IMO, are overly optimistic about their respective teams - what's new there. e.g., ND FanSide predicts ND will rush for 290 yards because Mo Hurst graduated. OK.

Mgoboard has multiple posts with M winning by 20+, Bwahahah.

IMO, this game rests on the efficiency of the respective offenses. You could say that the team that rushes for more yards will win. I think that measure is quickly becoming outdated. It's now all about moving the chains, in chunks or by slowly churning out yards. I don't think Brian Kelly or Jim Harbaugh scheme to run the ball 40 or 50 times a game, establish the run game early or any of that nonsense ..... and I can guarantee you that's the outdated BS you'll hear leading up to and in any keys to the game schtick from Gamed Day hosts.

I'd like to think Harbaugh has fashioned an offense around Patterson's skill set and that now that M has a dedicated receiver's coach in Jim McElwain, Paterson is going to have a bunch of open throws that he can make to Zach Gentry, Grant Perry, Tarik Black and Donovan-Peoples-Jones.

I'd also like to think Warriner will have M's OL up to serviceable and that Higdon and Evans will have some running room. Meanwhile Don Brown will be Don Brown and M's D will be just as good if not better (no big plays) this season than they were last.

Problem is all we have is the usual hopium that typically inflates the capacity of all M's units to perform well this time of the year. The first game of the season is always an adventure. That it's on the road, makes it more so. If Patterson is, as expected, the starter and he doesn't turn the ball over while completing 60% of his throws and if M's OL is serviceable to the extent the run game produces in the neighborhood of an efficient 4.5ypc and M's defense forces ND QBs, either Winbush or Book, to under 55% and holds ND to an inefficient <3.5ypc, M wins something like 34 - 27. Oh, and no game changing special teams errors

Lot's of ifs, I know. But, it's early and picking the score in this game is like throwing at numbers on a dart board.

[drok]

I'd be surprised if the score is that high. Both good defenses. I think whichever QB makes the fewer number of mistakes will lead their team to victory.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Maybe it's hopium but I think Patterson is going to rack up some yards and TDs and the combo of Higdon and Evans is going to break 200y. I don't think 400+ yards on offense is out of the question and if the scoring efficiency and no turnovers is there, 34 points is doable.

[WM Wolverine]

Over/under is 46.5 which sounds accurate but I'd take the under until Michigan's offense starts to click.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Hmmmmmm ...... my revised prediction then is something like M 28, ND 17. I guess the hopium got me a bit there in my earlier prediction. I also think, on the road is very likely to make JH's play calling a bit conservative early on and Kellly will match that to avoid costly turnovers and the game getting out of hand one way or the other. I think WM's call about the offense not really clicking in the first live game to produce some frustration for overly expectant M fans. Win ugly or not and get out of town is probably the coaching staff's by-words. This isn't going to be a shoot out.

[AlabamAlum]

It's a tough game. ND has the chance to be pretty good this year. I think M pulls it out, but I think it will be close. A point or two.

[WingsFan]

ND 26 Michigan 10

[paul daugherity]

ND 17 UM 10.

Both defenses should be good. Both offenses (leaving defenses aside) are suspect coming into the season. ND lost a lot from last year, and it will be tough for them to replace it with no issues by Game 1. While UM's offense is a mystery, given how bad they were last year, there is no reason to predict that they will look like worldbeaters in Game 1.

[Rocky Bleier]

ND 14 UM 10

I get the feeling that this game will be like Harbaugh's opener versus Utah. The defense will play well enough to win, the offense will sputter, ND will pull out a close one. Patterson will improve as the season progresses, but look for him to be inconsistent early.

[Hannibal]

ND 27, UM 17

[drok]

20-10 Michigan

[UMStan White]

Harbaugh has never beaten a ranked team on the road. He doesn't start here. ND wins easily and UM continues to tank as the year goes by.

[iam416]

Yes, but he beat USC as an 84 point underdog, so...your prediction is wrong! Plus, DON BROWN!!!! Yer even wronger.

M 38, ND 6

[AlabamAlum]

If Harbaugh loses this game, his win% at Michigan will be an even .700 and along with never finishing higher than 3rd place in the East, and losing 2 out of his 3 bowl games, fans will be pissed. He isn't dumb, he knows this, and will find some way to pull it out.

M 28, ND 27.