Notre Dame Football: 3 reasons Irish will beat Michigan in Week 9

Notre Dame football, with playoff aspirations still strong, have a few things going for them as they look to take down Michigan on the road.

Notre Dame and Michigan will meet for the 43rd time this weekend, continuing a rivalry that saw a significant uptick in frequency starting in the late 1970s. Overall, Michigan currently holds a 24-17-1 lead over Notre Dame in the series, but it has been the Irish that have seen more success in recent years, winning in three of their last four meetings.

However, all of that is in the past as these two teams prepare for what is likely to be quite the game. The odds, for the most part, have swung back and forth heading into this game, but seem to have settled with the Irish as one-point favorites. Still subject to change, these odds attest to the gritty performance we’re likely to see on Saturday.

With Notre Dame fighting for their playoff lives and Michigan looking for retribution after losses to Wisconsin and Penn State, a great game is in store for those who tune in this weekend. Here are a few reasons why the Irish will be the ones to pull off the win.