2006 Week 3

Defenses dominated the first half of the Michigan-Notre Dame game, but the Wolverine offense was the big story in the second. Quarterback Chad Henne threw three third-quarter touchdowns as Michigan scored 21 unanswered points to roll to a 38-25 win in South Bend.

After the game, Michigan coach Mike Geiger said, "I'm glad our defense kept us in it early on. We got off to that great start and then didn't score for a quarter and a half--I was worried. But the defense did a great job getting to [Notre Dame QB Brady] Quinn and those four turnovers were huge. Really a classic 'bend but don't break' game, and the halftime adjustments helped us click on O."

Junior SS Jamar Adams had two of Michigan's four interceptions. Adams' first interception, which he returned 27 yards to the Notre Dame 16, set up the game's first touchdown, a 6 yard TD pass to sophomore WR Mario Manningham.

Manningham had three catches for just 19 yards on the day, but all three went for touchdowns, two in the decisive third quarter. Manningham figured prominently in the other third quarter scoring pass, a 69-yard strike to junior WR Adrian Arrington. The Notre Dame secondary followed Manningham as the two receivers crossed, leaving Arrington wide open for the easy completion. Michigan's running game also clicked in the second half, with junior RB Mike Hart finishing with 160 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries after a rough first half.

Notre Dame's Quinn completed 29 of 46 passes for 412 yards, but threw four interceptions against his two touchdowns. The Michigan defense pressured him all day, amassing six sacks--five from defensive ends LaMarr Woodley and Tim Jamison. Henne, his Wolverine counterpart, finished 12 of 15 for 169 yards, with four touchdowns and a single interception.

The Wolverines suffered a significant loss in the fourth quarter, losing senior OLB Prescott Burgess with a broken wrist. Burgess is expected to miss six to eight weeks.