One Good Quarter Wasn’t Enough For Michigan State

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Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State will wait another year to take back the Megaphone Trophy, after losing to Notre Dame 27-10 in South Bend. The Spartans walked in 2-0 and hunting an upset, then scored in only one quarter, getting all 10 of their points in the second.

The Good: A Second Quarter Of Promise

The Spartans made only one quarter competitive, outscoring Notre Dame 10-7 in the second. A 32-yard field goal cut it to 10-3, and after the Irish answered with a touchdown, MSU scored its only touchdown of the night on a three-play drive. Alessio Milivojevic and Rodney Bullard Jr. connected for a 53-yard passing play, the longest play of the Spartans’ season. Backup quarterback Cam Fancher then scored a 15-yard rushing touchdown to make it 17-10. The defense forced Notre Dame into a three-and-out on the next series, and neither side did anything with the final two minutes of the half.

Jordan Hall Returns

After sitting out last week’s win over Eastern Michigan, linebacker Jordan Hall returned and led the defense despite its struggles. Hall led the Spartans in tackles last season with 88, and he picked up where he left off. Hall had 13 total tackles against Notre Dame, nine of them solo.

The Bad: Alessio Milivojevic Unable To Get Going

Milivojevic had potentially his worst game since becoming a starter. He went nine for 17 on pass attempts and threw two interceptions, his first collegiate game with multiple interceptions. He had not thrown a pick in either of the first two games, but finally faltered against the Fighting Irish. It’s hard to put it all on Milivojevic, as his offensive line didn’t help. Notre Dame got four sacks, making Milivojevic uncomfortable in the pocket.

Notre Dame’s Passing Game Cut Up Michigan State

While Notre Dame’s CJ Carr didn’t throw a touchdown, he still put in work through the air. He completed 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards. Carr focused on wide receiver Micah Gilbert, connecting eight times for 170 yards. That is more than double what Gilbert managed in his first two games of the season combined. All three Notre Dame touchdowns came on the ground, and Carr scored the last one himself on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The Intriguing: Two Quarterback System?

Just like against Eastern Michigan, backup Cam Fancher got snaps early in the game. He was featured in the second quarter, finishing with two rushing attempts for 18 yards and a touchdown. Fancher could have thrown a touchdown pass on the Spartans’ first drive of the quarter, too. He put the ball on running back Kenneth Williams, wide open in the end zone, but Williams dropped it.

Michigan State falls to 2-1 and now gets ready for Big Ten play, opening the conference schedule at home against Nebraska on Sept. 26. The Megaphone Trophy goes back on the line in East Lansing on Sept. 18, 2027.

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