Toledo Blade: Article by Joe Vardon

UM-ND linked in many ways

Familiarity adds to old rivalry

By JOE VARDON
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The football programs are old and historically — but not recently — dominant.

The institutions are prestigious and located inside America’s Rust Belt.

The fight songs are catchy. The stadiums are big bowls.

Almost any way you look at it, Michigan and Notre Dame are inextricably linked, especially on the gridiron. There are always connections — be they on a personal or team level — between the Wolverines and Irish that make it special when they play one another.
Today’s meeting, set for 3:30 at Notre Dame Stadium between college football’s two winningest programs, is no different.

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