SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In the waning seconds of Notre Dame’s convincing 20-3 win over Michigan State last week as the Irish lined up in a victory formation even Greg Schiano wouldn’t have bum-rushed, a lone fan sitting on the Irish side of the field held up a neon green sign with a one-word message that said it all: Relevant.
Yes, Notre Dame (3-0) is relevant again. The 11th-ranked Irish could take the next step tonight with a win over No. 17 Michigan in Notre Dame Stadium.
The Wolverines (2-1) have won the last two in this storied series and with all-everything quarterback Denard Robinson, Notre Dame is a loss away from falling back to the ranks of “just another program.”
“How did it feel getting patted on the back all day, wasn’t that nice, a nice change to go to class and not hear how bad you are or what you should have done or what you didn’t do; they told you a lot of good things,’’ Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told his team this week.
“Now, having said that, that’s a good place to be, but here is what you want to do if you want to be there next week. Because let me tell you what, if you don’t do that next week, you’ll be back where you were a few weeks ago.’’
A few weeks ago, the Irish eked out a 20-17 win at Purdue after quarterback Everett Golson was pulled in the fourth quarter and Notre Dame was once again on the doorstep of irrelevancy.
But the defense smothered the Spartans and Golson made enough plays. Nevertheless, the quarterback must raise his game significantly if Notre Dame is to be a national title contender. He has to raise it to Robinson’s level, with whom Golson has been compared.
“I was thinking about that while I was watching their tape,’’ Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. “You know, we see a guy like that every day, we do enough live stuff one-on-one against each other, that you know, hopefully [there] will be, you know, some similarities there and that our guys are a little bit used to the speed. But you never know until you get in that environment.”
Robinson, aka “Shoelace,” has been an Irish assassin.
Two years ago he rushed for 258 yards and two touchdowns, the last with 27 seconds left, in a 28-24 win. Last year, he threw for 338 yards and four touchdowns, the last with two seconds left, in a 35-31 win.
“He’s a superior football player,’’ Kelly said. “He’s a difference-maker.’’
It’s been a long time since Notre Dame was a difference-maker in college football. The Irish are on the threshold that separates the relevant from the respected, but a “Shoelace” can trip them up.