News and Notes 9/8

A couple of quick items:

1) Notre Dame is ranked at #23 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, and #20 in the AP Writer's poll. Also, the Irish broke the ESPN Power 16, coming in at 15. My personal rankings (which are heavy into W-L record over reputation) place the Irish at #10, as follows:

1. USC (1-0), Last week: W 63-17 at Hawaii, This week: Bye
2. Texas (1-0), Last week: W 60-3 La., Lafayette, This week: at #4 Ohio State
3. Michigan (1-0), Last week: W 33-17 No. Illinois, This week: vs. #10 Notre Dame
4. Ohio State (1-0), Last week: W 34-14 Miami (OH), This week: at #2 Texas
5. LSU (0-0), Last week: Bye, This week: vs. #14 Arizona State at Tempe
6. Georgia (1-0), Last week: W 48-13 Boise St., This week: vs. South Carolina
7. Iowa (1-0), Last week: W 56-0 Ball State, This week: at Iowa State
8. Virginia Tech (1-0), Last week: W 20-16 at NC State, This week: at Duke
9. Tennessee (1-0), Last week: W 17-10 UAB, This week: Bye
10. Notre Dame (1-0), Last week: W 42-21 Pittsburgh, This week: at #3 Michigan
11. Florida (1-0), Last week: W 32-14 Wyoming, This week: vs. La. Tech
12. Purdue (0-0), Last week: Bye, This week: vs. Akron
13. Louisville (1-0), Last week: W 31-24 at Kentucky, This week: Bye
14. Arizona State (1-0), Last week: W 63-16 Temple, This week: at #5 LSU in Tempe
15. Texas Christian (1-0), Last week: W 17-10 at #25 Oklahoma, This week: at SMU
16. California (1-0), Last week: W 41-3 Sacramento State, This week: at Washington
17. Georgia Tech (1-0), Last week: W 23-14 at Auburn, This week: North Carolina
18. Boston College (1-0), Last week: W 20-3 at BYU, This week: Army
19. Texas Tech (0-0), Last week: Bye, This week: Florida International
20. Virginia (1-0), Last week: W 31-19 Western Michigan, This week: at Syracuse
21. Clemson (1-0), Last week: W 25-24 Texas A&M, This week: at Maryland
22. Florida State (1-0), Last week: W 10-7 Miami, This week: The Citadel
23. Alabama (1-0), Last week: W 26-7 MTSU, This week: Southern Miss
24. Oregon (1-0), Last week: W 38-24 at Houston, This week: Montana
25. Wisconsin (1-0), Last week: W 56-42 Bowling Green, This week: Temple

2) Michigan message boards are all a-twitter with rumors of a potentially season-ending injury to starting TE Tim Massaquoi. If this were the case, it would greatly impact the game, as Notre Dame would not have to worry as much about the short passing game, and would get better penetration against the run, as Tim was a great receiver and blocker. If he indeed does not play, I predict that the Irish will win by 14 instead of 10, 38-24.