Shea Patterson slipped into the background, content to be the supporting actor on this night. He was upstaged by the five large men crouched before him. They go by the names Mayfield, Onwenu, Ruiz, Bredeson and Runyan.
For more than three hours Saturday, they were the star attractions, keeping a soggy but boisterous crowd at Michigan Stadium in their seats and cheering until the final whistle.
Throughout No. 20 Michigan football's 45-14 rout of No. 7 Notre Dame, they supplied the horsepower for the Wolverines' offense.
They opened gaping holes, freeing Michigan’s stable of running backs to rip through Notre Dame’s front.