ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- In 2007, Michigan's season-opener with Appalachian State was a disaster that left a mark on the program for years.
Seven years later, the rematch has already disappeared from memory.
When coach Brady Hoke and his players met with the media on Monday, they were all focused on one thing and one thing only -- Notre Dame. Everyone knows that this is the last time the two winningest programs in college football are going to play each other for a while, and no one wants to be on the losing side.
And in Ann Arbor, they also know exactly why the series is ending -- Notre Dame tore up the contract in order to go in a different direction with its schedule.
"This is one of the big rivalries -- there's Notre Dame-Michigan, there's State-Michigan and there's Ohio-Michigan," Michigan senior defensive end Frank Clark said. "For a team to opt out of playing in one of those rivalries, it is almost like a slap in the face.
"Of course that fires us up. We're going to do what we need to do to win this game."
The Michigan-Notre Dame series isn't close to one of the most impressive in college history -- they've only played 41 times in 127 years -- but it's important because of both ends of the run. Michigan's 8-0 win in 1887 was the first game in Notre Dame history, and when Bo Schembechler revived the series in the 1970s, it became a traditional early-season measuring stick for two teams that were usually near the top of the rankings.
And, despite all the hype, that's why the game is important this season. Both schools have big hopes for this season and had impressive wins in their opener.
"Our kids are pretty smart, and they understand the implications of this being the last game of the rivalry," Hoke said. "But it is an important game because they've got a lot of players that we recruited and we've got a lot of players that they tried to get.
"That means that the talent levels are fairly similar, so you can learn a lot about where you stand as a football team."
The Wolverines didn't learn much about that Saturday while routing the overmatched Mountaineers. Instead of the FCS powerhouse that beat Michigan in 2007, Appalachian State is now an FBS team, adjusting to life at the bottom of the Sun Belt Conference, and looked like a team that was there for a big payday.
Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner threw only one incompletion in the game and struggled to find an answer when asked what he needed to improve.
"I had some passes where I might have hit the guy on the right shoulder and I needed to hit him on the left shoulder," he said. "Those are the things I can work on this week. That and we're going to be practicing with the noise."
OFFENSIVE-LINE MYSTERY
Michigan's offensive line had a pretty good statistical line against Appalachian State -- the Wolverines rushed for 350 yards on 36 attempts, good for a school-record 9.7 yards per carry -- but there are still some questions going into Notre Dame.
Hoke's not answering them.
Although he did divulge that Kyle Kalis' back problem has cleared up, Hoke wasn't going to share if Kalis would return to the starting lineup. Hoke also wouldn't give any details at all about Graham Glasgow, who's eligible to return after a one-game suspension for an offseason arrest.
"We have a plan," Hoke said several times when asked about how he might juggle things against the Fighting Irish.
Hoke did eventually admit that Glasgow would be at the game, but wouldn't even confirm if he'll play.
NO WORRIES ABOUT PEPPERS
Hoke decided to leave highly touted freshmen Jabrill Peppers in the locker room for the second half because of an ankle injury, but said that he'll be ready for Notre Dame. v "He's in here right now getting treatment," Hoke said. "School hasn't started, so we can focus on getting his ankle fixed. He'll be fine for Saturday."
