Saturday’s game marks the 73rd meeting between Michigan State and Notre Dame. Eight of the last 10 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less. The visiting team has won seven of the last eight meetings, with Michigan State posting a 23-7 victory in Spartan Stadium last September. Overall, the Spartans have won nine of the last 12 meetings, including six-straight victories in Notre Dame Stadium. The six-game winning streak marks the longest run by an Irish opponent in the 78-year history of Notre Dame Stadium.
SPARTANS RANK SECOND IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES vs. NOTRE DAME
Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories (27) over Notre Dame. Only Southern Cal (33) has posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans.
• Eight of the last 10 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less. The visiting team has won seven of the last eight meetings, with Michigan State posting a 23-7 victory in Spartan Stadium last September. Overall, the Spartans have won nine of the last 12 meetings, including six-straight victories in Notre Dame Stadium. The six-game winning streak marks the longest run by an Irish opponent in the 78-year history of Notre Dame Stadium.
• Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories (27) over Notre Dame. Only Southern Cal (33) has posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans.
• Since 1949, the winner of the Michigan State-Notre Dame game has been presented the Megaphone Trophy, sponsored jointly by the Detroit alumni clubs of both schools.
• The Michigan State-Notre Dame series began 112 years ago in 1897, making it one of the 27 oldest rivalries in college football. It also ranks as one of only three rivalries – joining Army-Navy and Auburn-Georgia Tech – that does not involve either intrastate or current conference rivals.
• Michigan State has compiled a 31-12 record (.721) in games played against non-conference opponents since 1999, including an 8-4 mark under Mark Dantonio. The Spartans have won 14 of their last 19 non-league games.
• Fifth-year senior Blair White leads the Spartans in receptions (16), receiving yards (267) and touchdown catches (2). White ranks second in the Big Ten in both receptions (8.0 per game) and receiving yards (133.5 per game). He also is listed among the NCAA’s Top 10 in both receiving yards (No. 6) and receptions (No. 7). White recorded his second-straight 100-yard receiving game with seven catches for 105 yards against Central Michigan. He had a career-high nine receptions for 162 yards and two TDs in the season opener against Montana State.
• Sophomore quarterback Kirk Cousins leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the NCAA in passing efficiency with his 186.7 rating. In two starts, Cousins has completed 23-of-35 throws (.657) for 347 yards and four touchdowns. He hit 13-of-18 passes for 164 yards and a score in MSU’s 29-27 loss to Central Michigan. With the score tied at 20, Cousins went 5-for-5 for 59 yards on a 13-play, 80-yard drive as the Spartans took a 27-20 lead on his 35-yard TD strike to B.J. Cunnigham with 7:33 left in the game.
• Junior linebacker Greg Jones leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the NCAA, averaging 14.5 tackles per game. Jones matched his career high with 15 tackles against Central Michigan. He has recorded double-fi gure tackles in nine consecutive games, averaging 12.8 stops during the streak. Jones also is listed among the Big Ten leaders in sacks (tied for first with 1.5 for 11 yards) and tackles for loss (tied for third with 4 for 19 yards).
• Lou Groza Award candidate Brett Swenson leads the Big Ten in kick scoring (10.0 points per game) and ranks third (tied) in fi eld goals (2.0 made per game). He leads the team in scoring with 20 points, converting all four field-goal and all eight extra-point attempts. Swenson ranks first among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision active leaders in scoring, with 296 career points. His 56 career field goals rank second among all-active NCAA FBS kickers and third in MSU history. Swenson has made 74 consecutive PATs.
THE LAST MEETING –
Sept. 20, 2008, in East Lansing, Mich.: Javon Ringer rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns on 39 attempts, carrying Michigan State to a 23-7 win over Notre Dame. Ringer became the fi rst player to run for 200 yards in consecutive games in Michigan State history. The Spartans took a 13-0 lead into the fourth quarter, then sealed the victory by handing off to Ringer on all seven plays of a 77-yard drive he capped with a TD with 2:16 left. The Irish turned the ball over three times and missed two field goals, hurting their chances of starting 3-0 for the first time since 2002 and the second time in 12 years. Jimmy Clausen was 24-of-41 for 242 yards with a TD and two interceptions in the fi rst half, one of which was in the end zone on a play that was overturned by a video review. Clausen was sacked three times - after not being sacked in the fi rst two games - and was hurried and hit numerous times. Michigan State shut down the Irish’s running game and the sacks led to them fi nishing with 16 yards rushing and seven points. Michael Floyd caught a 26-yard TD pass early in the fourth quarter, getting Notre Dame within six points, after fumbling at the Michigan State 20 early in the third. The Spartans got off to a good start, limiting Notre Dame to minus-5 yards on its fi rst two drives and kicking a fi eld goal on their opening possession. Clausen’s up-for-grabs pass in the end zone to a double-covered Duval Kamara was ripped away by safety Otis Wiley on Notre Dame’s third drive. It was originally ruled incomplete but overturned by replay. Clausen threw another poor pass in the second quarter and it was picked off by Wiley at the Notre Dame 22, setting up Ringer’s fi rst TD. His highlight of the day was a 63-yard run that set up his second TD.
THE LAST MEETING IN NOTRE DAME STADIUM –
Sept. 22, 2007, in Notre Dame, Ind.: Brian Hoyer threw four touchdown passes and Javon Ringer rushed for 144 yards to lead Michigan State to a 31-14 victory over Notre Dame. Michigan State (4-0) became the fi rst opponent to win six in a row at Notre Dame Stadium. The Spartans blew the game open with a pair of third-quarter TDs, a 16-yard catch by Mark Dell and a 30-yard catch by Kellen Davis on a fourth-and-2 play to make it 31-14. Davis also had a 3-yard TD catch and Devin Thomas had a 7-yard scoring catch. Notre Dame finally scored its fi rst offensive touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run by Travis Thomas to cap a 9-yard drive in the first quarter. The score was setup by a Michigan State fumble. Hoyer was 11-of-24 passing for 135 yards as the Spartans amassed 354 yards total offense. Jehuu Caulcrick added 83 yards rushing for the Spartans. Jimmy Clausen was 7-of-13 passing for 53 yards for Notre Dame, while Evan Sharpley, who played the fourth quarter, went 4-of-7 passing for 33 yards. The Irish, who had given up 23 sacks through their first three games, were sacked four times by the Spartans. MSU defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic sacked Clausen for a 17-yard loss and stripped the ball from the quarterback in the second quarter.
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