page_title: 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team
section_title: vs. Notre Dame
hierarchical_section_title: 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team / Game summaries / vs. Notre Dame
caption_attribution_description: English: Michigan on offense during the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Michigan Wolverines football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan (United States). Michigan won 35–31.
context_page_description: The 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team, sometimes known as Team 132 in reference to the 132-year tradition of the Michigan football program, was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan during the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season.
  Under first-year head coach Brady Hoke, Michigan compiled a record of 11–2 and finished in second place in the newly formed Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference. Hoke, hired in January 2011 following the firing of previous head coach Rich Rodriguez, was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the media and the coaches and was a finalist for national coach of the year honors. Highlights of Michigan's 2011 season included a 35–31 victory over Notre Dame in the first night game ever played at Michigan Stadium, a 45–17 victory over Nebraska in the Cornhuskers' first year in the Big Ten, and the first victory over arch-rival Ohio State since 2003. Michigan's season ended with a 23–20 overtime victory against Virginia Tech in the 2012 Sugar Bowl.
  Under first-year defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, Michigan's defense went from being ranked 107th in scoring defense in 2010 to being ranked sixth in 2011.
context_section_description: Following its opener against Western Michigan, Michigan renewed its rivalry with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.  In the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, both teams wore "throwback-style" jerseys. Michigan's jerseys did not entirely match any worn in team history; however, they incorporated "design elements from different eras of Michigan football." During the previous meeting, Denard Robinson set a school record for total yardage in a single game at 502 yards, as Michigan defeated Notre Dame 28–24 in a wild affair. Due to the significance of the game, ESPN announced on August 5 that College GameDay would be held in Ann Arbor for the first time since November 17, 2007, when Michigan hosted Ohio State, which was Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr's final regular season game before he retired. At the game, 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard was honored in recognition of his recent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. A 1991 consensus All-American, Howard became the first receiver in history to lead the Big Ten Conference in scoring, and he set or tied five NCAA records and 12 single-season Michigan records during his senior year. Charles Woodson was also honored. A C-47 conducted the pre-game flyover and two parachuters from the 101st Airborne Division entered the stadium at halftime.
  Michigan came back from a 17-point deficit to defeat Notre Dame 35–31, scoring the winning touchdown with two seconds remaining. Notre Dame started the scoring with two consecutive touchdowns in the first quarter, with the first coming from a seven-yard catch by Theo Riddick, and the second from a four-yard run by Cierre Wood. Michigan's only points of the first half came on a 43-yard reception by Junior Hemingway in the second quarter. Notre Dame answered with a 38-yard field goal by David Ruffer just before halftime to extend its lead to ten points. The score at halftime was 17–7 in favor of Notre Dame. The only points of the third quarter were when Notre Dame's T. J. Jones caught a 15-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter Michigan rallied from behind, scoring three consecutive touchdowns: first a one-yard run by Denard Robinson after Stephen Hopkins fumbled at the goal line, then a 47-yard catch by Jeremy Gallon, then a 21-yard catch by Vincent Smith to give them their first lead of the game. Notre Dame responded almost immediately, as Theo Riddick scored his second touchdown of the game less than a minute later on a 29-yard catch. Michigan received the ball on its 20-yard line with 30 seconds remaining, and drove 80 yards in 28 seconds with Roy Roundtree scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds left in the game.
  Michigan's 17-point comeback against Notre Dame tied for the third-biggest comeback in Michigan history and tied for the second-biggest comeback at Michigan Stadium. The game's announced crowd of 114,804 set the all-time attendance record for a football game—college or NFL—and broke the Michigan Stadium attendance record. The previous Michigan Stadium record was 113,411 spectators, established at the 2010 "Big Chill at the Big House" ice hockey game. In recognition of his performance during the game, the Big Ten named Denard Robinson its Offensive Player of the Week, while the Davey O'Brien Award named him its Quarterback of the Week. He was also named Rivals.com's Big Ten and National Player of the Week and won the Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week. The team was recognized as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of Week.
caption: Michigan on offense against Notre Dame.
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