South Bend, Ind. — Clunk, clunk, clunk. Michigan went on the road again in search of an identity, in pursuit of a big-game turnaround. Instead, another clunker, another night when the Wolverines wavered in the heat.
Jim Harbaugh’s team didn’t look ready. Don Brown’s defense looked crazed and confused. Michigan hung around after an awful start, but that’s not good enough, not nearly good enough in Harbaugh’s fourth season. Notre Dame outplayed and outsmarted Michigan in a tedious 24-17 victory Saturday night, in which the Fighting Irish made the big plays and the Wolverines made the big mistakes.