Notre Dame and Michigan have no further games scheduled. This late October matchup will be the end of the rivalry for the foreseeable future, at least on the field. Fittingly, it should be a make-or-break game for both teams.
The regular season finale against Ohio State is more important for Wolverines fans, and the mid-September date at Georgia projects to be tougher for the Irish, but a loss in either of those games would be cushioned by a win in this matchup, far as postseason concerns go.
2018 REVIEW
Michigan was on the path to prove that concept last year, losing in the opener at Notre Dame 24-17 before getting on a 10-game roll, outscoring opponents by an average of 39-13, during that stretch.