Notre Dame Is Dominating Michigan On The Recruiting Trail
When you have a rivalry there are always times when one side dominates the other, and that's true on the field and off it. This hasn't been true for the Notre Dame vs. Michigan rivalry, at least not until the 2023 and 2024 recruiting cycles began.
Notre Dame and Michigan have played 44 times on the field, and since 1990 the longest win streak for the Irish is four games (1987-90) and the longest for Michigan is three games (2009-11). Many of the games on the field were hotly contested matchups over the years.
The same has been true on the recruiting trail. Notre Dame wins some, Michigan wins some. Over the last six months this hasn't been true, at all, as Notre Dame has completely dominated Michigan on the trail.
The 2022 cycle saw both sides win some battles, with the Irish landing a pair of Michigan standouts (Josh Burnham, Nolan Ziegler) and the Irish beat the Wolverines for Tobias Merriweather, Billy Schrauth, Benjamin Morrison and Ashton Craig among other. Michigan flipped Amorion Walker, who had been a long-time commit to the Irish and also beat Notre Dame for wide receiver Tyler Morris.
Since Marcus Freeman completed his first staff at Notre Dame the Irish have completely obliterated Michigan on the trail, which is even more surprising when you consider the Wolverines are coming off a season in which it went to the College Football Playoff and beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011 and for just the second time since 2004.
So far Notre Dame's destruction has been complete and total, as the Irish have won every major head-to-head battle in the 2023 and 2024 classes, and landed players that Michigan pushed hard to land, but couldn't get into the final two.
Michigan currently has six commits in the 2023 class, and not one of them even had a Notre Dame offer. Notre Dame has 16 commits, and all but three have offers from Michigan.
Notre Dame's most recent victory over Michigan was offensive lineman Charles Jagusah. The Wolverines, led by line coach Sherrone Moore, put up a valiant fight but ultimately this one was never in doubt.
Notre Dame also beat Michigan in head-to-head battles for running back Jayden Limar, offensive lineman Sam Pendleton, defensive linemen Devan Houstan and Boubacar Traore, and safety Peyton Bowen.
The Irish also landed linebacker Preston Zinter, whose older brother Zak started for the Michigan offensive line last season.
Notre Dame has dominated Michigan even more in the 2024 class, and it began when the Irish landed a pair of in-state stars. CJ Carr is a five-star recruit and the No. 19 player in the country according to 247Sports and defensive lineman Brandon Davis-Swain is ranked No. 38 overall on the On3 consensus ranking.
Both are Michigan natives, both are committed to Notre Dame. Carr is the grandson of legendary Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, who led the program to its last national title (1997).
Illinois wide receiver Cam Williams was considered a Michigan lean by several Wolverine pundits, but when Notre Dame offered him in May and began make a run at the talented pass catcher the Irish not only caught the Wolverines, but were able to land Williams, who committed to Notre Dame on Wednesday night.
Michigan was also a finalist for tight end Jack Larsen, who committed to Notre Dame a week ago.
Notre Dame has five committed players in the 2024 class, and four of them have Michigan offers. The Wolverines have one commit in the class, and he did not receive an offer from Notre Dame.
Despite Michigan coming off its best season in decades, the Irish have stole all their momentum, and it's Notre Dame has is recruiting like a team coming off an elite season. It is Notre Dame that is battling Ohio State for Northern supremacy on the recruiting trail.
Perhaps Michigan can turn things around and start to win some battles, but right now I couldn't tell you who that is. Notre Dame's domination has been thorough and complete.
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Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Offers
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense
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