Throw some brats on the grill and make sure you've got enough beer in the fridge (and I mean PLENTY of beer), folks, because Saturday's 3:30 showdown at Michigan Stadium has a slight chance of being one of the top 500 most entertaining games of the year.

That's right, you can throw out the records when these two teams get together. And in this case that would be a very good idea.

Here's how these two powerhouses stack up going into the the big game on Saturday:

When Michigan has the Ball:

With freshman QB Ryan Mallett getting the start over Chad Navarre, oh I'm sorry, Henne, Lloyd Carr has promised to pare down the playbook in order to make things simpler.

Word out of Michigan camp is that the playbook will be lifted directly from the first Tecmo Bowl video game.

When Notre Dame has the Ball:

You might want to go make yourself a sandwich.

A really, really big sandwich, so as to spare yourself the pain of watching these guys stumble around the field.

Unless of course ND decides to insert Demetrius Jones into the starting lineup and run some plays out of the spread, in which case Michigan's linebackers and defensive backs will be the ones stumbling all over the field.

In either case, try to not to watch when Notre Dame has the ball because both teams will field units that belong in Division 1-AA (my apologies to Appy State).

Except for Jimmy Clausen, of course, who could start for at least half the teams in the Sun Belt.

Special Teams:

Now that Steve Breaston's gone, Michigan rotates four or five guys in as return men. None of them are good.

Other than that, Michigan's special teams are solid, excepting the fact that they can't block on field goals and their kicker can't kick.

Notre Dame on the other hand has Tom Zbikowski returning kicks. I'm not sure how good he is, but I do know that he was a Golden Gloves boxer so I suppose anyone trying to tackle him would do well to cover their chin. Oh, and Jeff Samardzija is a baseball pitcher. But I think he's gone, and he didn't play special teams very much anyway. That's pretty much all I know about Notre Dame thanks to the announcers.

Coaching:

This game will attempt to answer the age-old question of whether you're better off with a really fat coach or merely one that's old and grumpy.

Actually in this case, the answer might be neither.

Intangibles:

Michigan is coming off two hard-fought, emotional losses. Of course in both games, the other team was the only one who fought hard, and the only emotion the team showed was when they cried after each game in the locker room.

Notre Dame on the other hand fought pretty hard in their first two games, they just have about as much talent as a bad MAC team.

Prediction:

Michigan will do just enough to win this game. Nothing more, nothing less. They don't want to show too much with their big rivalry game against Eastern Michigan coming up in three weeks.

Final Score:

Michigan 2, Notre Dame 0

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Lloyds Apple said:

	This is a huge game for both teams. It will be interesting to see if the "offensive genius"--Charlie Weis draws up some plays for Jones. Predicting the score in this one is hard. In my mind Notre Dame has a bad offense and defense, while Michigan just has a bad defense and then an offense under performing. Michigan by 7, even without Henne. Both teams have been playing really really ver very bad.
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September 11, 2007
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Gotham Dark Knight said:

	Mallet's job is very easy...it goes like this...hand off to Mike Hart left, Mike Hart right, Mike Hart up the middle.
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September 11, 2007
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JEH45 said:

Geez Nick, I feel bad for you, cept I hate your team. Really, your D against ND's O-what a match up. Last week Charlie, ie offensive genius, started the Golden Boy because " He gave us the best chance to win"-which was no chance. With Michigans defensive play against mobile QB's, does charlie maybe see that Jones might give ND its best chance against Michigan? With Henne, I bet on Michigan. Without him-who knows? For your info-I hate ND more than your Blue. Go Blue!

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September 12, 2007
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