Spartans, Fighting Irish Renew Rivalry Saturday Night at Notre Dame Stadium

Saturday, September 19

South Bend, Ind.

7:30 PM

Michigan State University

#3 Notre Dame

Spartans, Fighting Irish Renew Rivalry Saturday Night at Notre Dame Stadium

9/15/2026 3:46:00 PM | Football

MSU Game Notes Notre Dame Game Notes

Game 3: Michigan State (2-0) at No. 3/3 Notre Dame (2-0)

Date: Saturday, Sept. 19
Kickoff: 7:36 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame, Ind.
Stadium: Notre Dame Stadium (77,622)
Surface: FieldTurf
Game Notes: MSU | UND

►BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: NBC
Streaming/Mobile: Peacock
Announcers: Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst), Kathryn Tappen (sidelines)

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jehuu Caulcrick
Sidelines: Tre Mosley
Broadcast Host: Dalton Shetler
Website/Mobile: msuspartans .com/watch, MSU Athletics mobile app, Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 20 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: SiriusXM Ch. 178/232 | SiriusXM App Ch. 956
Pregame Show: Begins at 6 p.m.

►SERIES INFORMATION
All-Time Series: UND leads, 49-29-1
Series at Notre Dame: UND leads, 29-14
Last Meeting: UND 38, MSU 18 (2017 in East Lansing)
Current Series Streak: 1 by Notre Dame

►HEAD COACHES
MSU Head Coach: Pat Fitzgerald
MSU Record: 2-0 (first year)
Overall Record: 112-101 (18th year)
Record vs. UND: 1-1

UND Head Coach: Marcus Freeman
UND Record: 45-12 (fifth year)
Overall Record: 45-12 (fifth year)
Record vs. MSU: 0-0

►SPARTANS, IRISH RENEW RIVALRY WITH MEGAPHONE TROPHY ON THE LINE SATURDAY NIGHT AT NOTRE DAME STADIUM
• Off to a 2-0 start under first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald, Michigan State heads to No. 3/3 Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 19 to take on the Fighting Irish for the Megaphone Trophy at 7:30 p.m. in Notre Dame Stadium. The game will be televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock with Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sidelines) on the call.

• MSU defeated Eastern Michigan, 35-7, last Saturday in Spartan Stadium. The Spartans led 14-7 at halftime and rattled off 21 unanswered points in the second half en route to the victory. Michigan State compiled 472 yards of total offense and rushed for 258 yards, the most on the ground for the Spartans since Sept. 10, 2022, against Akron (260). MSU started the Fitzgerald era with a 30-20 win over Toledo on Sept. 4.

• Notre Dame is also 2-0 after recording a 52-0 shutout over Rice in the home opener for the Fighting Irish last Saturday. UND opened the season with a 41-13 win against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

• One of the winningest coaches in Big Ten history, Fitzgerald was named Michigan State's 27th head coach on Dec. 1, 2025. Over 17 seasons as the head coach at Northwestern from 2006-22, Fitzgerald won 110 games, while guiding the Wildcats to 10 bowl games, five AP Top 25 finishes and a pair of appearances in the Big Ten Football Championship Game after winning the Big Ten West Division title in both 2018 and 2020. He was named the 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year, and in 2020, won the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year Award after leading the Wildcats to a No. 10 national ranking and a win in the Citrus Bowl over Auburn.

• Fitzgerald's 112 wins rank 12th all-time for a Big Ten football coach, while his five bowl game victories rank tied for 12th among conference coaches.

• Saturday's game marks the 80th meeting between Michigan State and Notre Dame. The Irish lead the all-time series 49-29-1, including a 29-14 record in games played at Notre Dame. The Spartans have won 11 of the last 19 meetings in the series. Eleven of the last 16 games in the series have been decided by one score or less. The two teams haven't met since Notre Dame defeated MSU in Spartan Stadium in 2017, 38-18, but the Spartans beat the Irish in the last matchup at Notre Dame with a 36-28 win in 2016.

• Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories (29) over Notre Dame. Only USC (38) has posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans.

• Michigan State has 62 newcomers on the 2026 roster, including 32 transfers and 30 freshmen. The Spartans have 49 returning players in 2026, including 16 letterwinners from last season.

►CAM EDWARDS LEADS BIG TEN IN RUSHING AFTER TWO GAMES
• Fifth-year graduate transfer running back Cam Edwards leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for fifth in the FBS in rushing after collecting 250 yards (125.0 ypg) on the ground in his first two games as a Spartan. He also ranks tied for third in the conference with three rushing touchdowns.

• Edwards ran for 152 yards and two TDs on 21 carries in the win over Eastern Michigan; it marked the most rushing yards by a Spartan running back since Kenneth Walker III had 197 against Michigan in 2021.

• In his Spartan debut, Edwards carried the ball a career-high 27 times for 98 yards and one TD in the win over Toledo.

• Edwards, who is on the Maxwell Award Watch List and Doak Walker Award Watch List, currently ranks fourth among active FBS players with 2,940 career rushing yards and fifth with 30 rushing touchdowns.

• Edwards played the last four seasons (2022-25) at UConn and posted career highs for rushing yards (1,240), rushing touchdowns (15), carries (210), receptions (19) and receiving yards (187) for the Huskies in 2025, finishing the year ranked among the FBS Top 25 leaders in six categories (tied for ninth in TDs with 16; tied for 13th in rushing TDs; 15th in rushing yards; 17th in rushing yards per game; 22nd in all-purpose yards; 23rd in yards per carry).

►QUARTERBACK ALESSIO MILIVOJEVIC RETURNS AT QB FOR THE SPARTANS
• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has started the last six games for the Spartans, including the final four games of the 2025 season and the first two of this season (3-3 record).

• Milivojevic ranks sixth in the Big Ten with his .704 completion percentage (38-of-54) through the first two games. He has thrown for 417 yards (208.5 ypg) with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

• Overall in nine games of action as a redshirt freshman in 2025, Milivojevic connected on 64 percent of his throws (111-of-173) for 1,267 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. In his four starts, he completed 58 percent of his passes (79-of-136) for 986 yards and seven touchdowns.

►TWO-TIME CAPTAIN JORDAN HALL LEADS SPARTAN DEFENSE
• Senior linebacker Jordan Hall, who is the first Spartan linebacker to be named a captain in back-to-back years since Joe Bachie (2018-19), is back to lead the defense in 2026. Hall had four tackles, including a 3-yard TFL, in the season opener against Toledo.

• Hall enters 2026 as a first-team All-Big Ten preseason selection by Phil Steele. He was also named to preseason watch lists for the Bednarik Award (best defensive player), the Butkus Award (nation's top linebacker) and the Wuerffel Trophy (premier community service award in college football).

• Hall recorded a career-high 88 tackles last season, including 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks to go along with three forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up, to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.

►ELI COENEN OFF TO STRONG START ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE
• Fourth-year defensive lineman Eli Coenen, a transfer from Illinois, is off to a strong start to his Spartan career. He was named the Spartan Defensive Player of the Week with three tackles, an 11-yard sack and a pass break-up vs. Toledo, and earned the honor for the second week in a row after recording four tackles with two sacks against Eastern Michigan.

• Coenen currently ranks first in the Big Ten with his three sacks. As a team, the Spartans rank tied for third in the conference with six sacks.

►STAT LEADERS
Michigan State:
Rushing – Gr. Cam Edwards (48 carries for 250 yards, 5.2 avg., 3 TDs, 125.0 ypg)
Passing – R-So. Alessio Milivojevic (38-of-54, .704, 417 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 208.5 ypg)
Receiving – Gr. Rodney Bullard Jr. (10 receptions for 116 yards, 11.6 avg., 1 TD, 58.0 ypg)
Tackles – Two players with 13 tackles (LB Brady Pretzlaff, S Devin Vaught)

Notre Dame:
Rushing – Jr. Aneyas Williams (29 carries for 119 yards, 4.1 avg., 2 TDs, 59.5 ypg)
Passing – Jr. CJ Carr (35-of-49, .714, 492 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs, 246.0 ypg)
Receiving – Fr. Jordan Faison (8 receptions for 135 yards, 16.9 avg., 2 TDs, 67.5 ypg)
Tackles – Sr. LB Jaiden Ausberry (12 tackles, 1.0 TFLs, 1 FR)

►MICHIGAN STATE VS. NOTRE DAME SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game marks the 80th meeting between Michigan State and Notre Dame. The Irish lead the all-time series 49-29-1, including a 29-14 record in games played at Notre Dame. The series dates back 129 years ago as Notre Dame won the first meeting, 34-6, on Nov. 25, 1897.

• The Spartans have won 11 of the last 19 meetings in the series.

• Eleven of the last 16 games in the series have been decided by one score or less.

• The two teams haven't met since Notre Dame defeated MSU in Spartan Stadium in 2017, 38-18, but the Spartans beat the Irish in the last matchup at Notre Dame with a 36-28 win in 2016.

• The Spartans recorded six straight victories in Notre Dame Stadium from 1997-2007. The six-game winning streak was the longest run by an Irish opponent in the history of Notre Dame Stadium.

►COACH FITZGERALD OWNS VICTORIES AS PLAYER AND COACH AT NOTRE DAME STADIUM
• Pat Fitzgerald has recorded wins at Notre Dame Stadium as both a player and coach during his career at Northwestern.

• As a player, Fitzgerald and the Wildcats upset No. 9 Notre Dame in the 1995 season opener at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 2, 17-15. Northwestern ended up winning the Big Ten Championship that season and earned a berth in the Rose Bowl against USC.

• As a coach, Fitzgerald led his Wildcats to a 43-40 victory in overtime on Nov. 15, 2014, at No. 18 Notre Dame, coached by Brian Kelly.

►MSU-NOTRE DAME CONNECTIONS
• MSU co-defensive coordinator/linebackers Max Bullough spent the past three seasons (2023-25) coaching under Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame. Bullough joined the UND staff in 2023 as a graduate assistant on defense before getting promoted to linebackers coach in 2024.

• Fourth-year wide receiver KK Smith spent his first three seasons at Notre Dame (2023-25) before transferring to Michigan State in January. Smith had 11 catches for 161 yards and two TDs in 17 games for the Irish.

• Michigan State's veteran play-by-play radio announcer George Blaha graduated from Notre Dame in 1966 with a degree in economics. Blaha is in his 50th year as the Spartans' radio voice.

►SPARTANS RANK SECOND IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES VS. NOTRE DAME
• Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories (29) over Notre Dame. Only USC (38) has posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans.

►SPARTANS RANK TIED FOR FIRST IN ALL-TIME VICTORIES AT NOTRE DAME STADIUM
• Michigan State ranks tied for first, along with USC, with the most wins by an opponent (14) in Notre Dame Stadium. MSU is 14-18 all-time at Notre Dame Stadium, which opened in 1930 (USC is 14-30-1).

►MEGAPHONE TROPHY
• 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 megaphone is printed half blue, with a gold ND monogram, and half white, with a green MSC. All previous game scores are listed on the trophy.

• Michigan State and Notre Dame played 36 consecutive seasons from 1959-94 until a two-year interruption of the series in 1995-96. MSU and Notre Dame then played 17 straight seasons from 1997-2013 before another two-year break in 2014-15. The two schools played a home-and-home in 2016-17 in the most recent games in the series. MSU and UND are renewing their rivalry with a home-and-home series in 2026 and 2027.

►GAME OF THE CENTURY: 60TH ANNIVERSARY
• This fall marks the 60th anniversary of the famous "Game of the Century" 10-10 tie between No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 Michigan State on Nov. 19, 1966, in Spartan Stadium. Thirty-one players from that game went on to play in the NFL, including 10 first-round draft picks. Four Michigan State players from the game were selected in the first eight picks on the 1967 NFL Draft (No. 1, Colts, DE Bubba Smith; No. 2, Vikings, RB Clinton Jones; No. 5, Oilers, LB George Webster; No. 8, Vikings, WR Gene Washington).

►LONG HISTORY OF BIG WINS OVER NOTRE DAME
• Michigan State has defeated Notre Dame 16 times when the Fighting Irish were ranked in the AP Top 25, including eight wins in the top 10.

• Although neither team was ranked, one of the most famous wins of the Mark Dantonio era came against Notre Dame in Spartan Stadium on Sept. 18, 2010. Down 31-28 in overtime to Notre Dame and facing a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Dan Conroy, Dantonio decided to call the trick play "Little Giants" – and the result was one of the most dramatic finishes in Michigan State history. Holder Aaron Bates threw a 29-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to tight end Charlie Gantt on the fake field goal, setting off a wild celebration on the field.

• Notre Dame enters Saturday's matchup ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll, the highest ranking for the Irish entering the Michigan State game since 1990 (No. 1).

►A BRIEF GLANCE AT NO. 3/3 NOTRE DAME (2-0)
• The No. 3/3 Fighting Irish improved to 2-0 with a 52-0 win over Rice last Saturday, opening a 42-0 lead at halftime and coasting to the rout of the Owls. Notre Dame opened the season with a 41-13 win over Wisconsin on Sept. 6 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers.

• Notre Dame is 21st in the FBS in scoring offense (46.5 ppg) and fifth in scoring defense (6.5 ppg).

• The Fighting Irish offense is 67th in the FBS in total offense (414.0 ypg), ranking 26th in the nation in passing offense (299.5 ypg) and 116th in rushing offense (114.5 ypg). Notre Dame is also 11th in the country in sacks allowed (0.5 pg), only yielding one sack through the first two games.

• UND's defense is 13th in the FBS in total defense (206.0 ypg), ranking 14th in rushing defense (65.5. ypg) and 23rd in passing yards allowed (140.5 ypg).

• Junior quarterback CJ Carr is 11th in the FBS in passing efficiency (196.2), as well as 14th in passing TDs (6), 27th in pass completion percentage (.714), 35th in passing yards/completion (14.1) and 42nd in passing yards/game (246.0). Carr is 35-of-49 for 492 yards with the six TDs and zero interceptions through two games. Carr only has two rushing attempts, getting sacked on one and rushing for 2 yards on the other carry, both coming in the Wisconsin game.

• Junior running back Aneyas Williams leads the Irish with 119 yards on 29 carries (4.1 ypc/59.5 ypg) with two TDs.

• Senior wide receiver/punt returner Jordan Faison is tied for 23rd in the FBS in receiving TDs (2), as well as 92nd in receiving yards/game (67.5). Faison has eight catches for 135 yards (16.9 ypc). He is one of five different Irish receivers with a TD catch and is the lone player with multiple scoring receptions. Faison is also 25th in the nation in punt returns (13.3 ypr), with four returns for 53 yards.

• Senior linebacker Jaiden Ausberry leads the UND defense with 12 total tackles, adding 1.0 tackle for loss and one fumble recovery. Fellow senior linebacker Drayk Bowen is right behind with 11 stops, also adding 1.0 TFL.

• Junior defensive end Bryce Young leads UND and ranks 16th in the FBS with in tackles for loss/game (1.75), with 3.5 total tackles for loss.

• Freshman punter Jasper Scaife has three punts for a 44.3 ypp average, with a long of 46 yards, with one inside the 20, and two fair catches.

• Junior placekicker Spencer Porath is one of 43 players in the nation with a perfect 100 percent field goal percentage (3-of-3), with a long of 52 yards, adding 12-of-12 on PATs.

• Kickoff duties are split between sophomore placekicker Erick Schmidt and freshman placekicker Micah Drescher. Schmidt has 11 kickoffs for a 61.6 ypk average with two touchbacks and one out-of-bounds, while Drescher has six kickoffs for a 57.8 ypk average and three touchbacks.

• Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is in his fifth year leading the Irish and as a head coach, logging a 45-12 ledger.

Cam Edwards, Nick Sharpe, Trent Fraley, Ben Murawski, Alessio Milivojevic and offensive line action photo Michigan State vs Eastern Michigan game on Sept. 12, 2026 at Spartan Stadium.

Cam Edwards, Nick Sharpe, Trent Fraley, Ben Murawski, Alessio Milivojevic and offensive line action photo Michigan State vs Eastern Michigan game on Sept. 12, 2026 at Spartan Stadium.

LAST TIME OUT: MSU 35, EASTERN MICHIGAN 7

►GAME RECAP
• Michigan State scored 21 unanswered points in the second half en route to a 35-7 victory over Eastern Michigan at Spartan Stadium last Saturday afternoon.

• Redshirt sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic completed 12-of-20 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, while graduate running back Cam Edwards rushed for 152 yards with a pair of touchdowns on 21 attempts. Graduate quarterback Cam Fancher completed 6-of-6 passes for 44 yards and rushed for eight more yards on two carries.

• Redshirt freshman tight end Jayden Savoury led MSU with four receptions, good for a career-best 63 yards, including a 46-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter. Leading the Spartans in receiving yards was redshirt freshman Charles Taplin who caught three passes for a career-best 65 yards and his first career touchdown on a 38-yard strike.

• Redshirt sophomore linebacker Brady Pretzlaff tallied a career-high eight tackles, tying redshirt junior safety Devin Vaught for the team high. Redshirt junior Eli Coenen led the Spartans with two sacks. Graduate cornerback Charles Brantley forced and recovered a third quarter fumble.

►SPARTAN PLAYERS OF THE GAME VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
• Offense: #19 R-Fr. WR Charles Taplin (3 catches for 65 yards, 1 TD)
• Offensive Playmaker: #52 Gr. OL Nick Sharpe
• Defense: #96 R-Jr. DL Eli Coenen (4 tackles, 2 sacks for 11 yards, 1 QB hurry)
• Defensive Playmaker: #4 Gr. CB Charles Brantley (4 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR)
• Special Teams: #13 R-Sr. PR Chrishon McCray (1 PR for 31 yards to set up MSU touchdown)

►SCORING SUMMARY
• Michigan State opened the game's scoring on its second drive, following a Chrishon McCray 31-yard punt return that gave the Spartans on the EMU 24-yard line. Three plays later, Alessio Milivojevic found Fredrick Moore in the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown pass at the 6:32 mark in the first quarter.

• MSU went up 14-0 midway through the second quarter after capitalizing on a 16-play, 80-yard drive in 7:19 with a 1-yard TD run by Cam Edwards. Eastern Michigan got on the board late in the first half with 1:50 remaining as Noah Kim ran it in 4 yards for a touchdown that cut the Spartan lead to 14-7.

• The Spartans took their first possession of the second half and marched right down the field, driving 75 yards on 13 plays while taking 6:10 off the clock, capped by a 2-yard TD run by Edwards, his second of the game.

• After Charles Brantley forced a fumble on EMU's next series, Michigan State took advantage of the turnover as Milivojevic connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass to Charles Taplin to make it 28-7 in favor of MSU with 5:46 remaining in the third quarter. It marked Taplin's first career TD reception. Two series later, Edwards busted loose for a game-long rush of 40 yards to set up Jaziun Patterson's 7-yard TD run that gave MSU a 35-7 advantage with 7:48 left in the game.

►OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Michigan State scored five touchdowns on its nine offensive drives . . . after five field goals and two TDs against Toledo, the Spartans scored five TDs vs. EMU and now have seven TDs and five FGs for 12 scores out of 19 drives.

• The Spartans had four drives of 10 plays or more, scoring on two of them, with a 16-play drive that ended with a TD in the first quarter, a 13-play that ended with a TD in the third quarter, a 12-play drive that ended with a punt in the second quarter and a 10-play drive to run out the clock at the end of the game.

• Michigan State amassed 472 yards of total offense, which was the Spartans' highest offensive output since game 2 of the 2024 season with 484 yards at Maryland (Sept. 7, 2024).

• MSU's 258 yards rushing were the most since game 2 of the 2022 season with 260 yards vs. Akron (Sept. 10, 2022).

• Graduate running back Cam Edwards had 152 rushing yards on 21 carries and two TDs . . . Edwards is MSU's first running back with 150+ rushing yards in game since Kenneth Walker III had 197 yards vs. Michigan on Oct. 30, 2021.

• Edwards' 21 carries marked his second straight outing as a Spartan with 20+ rushing attempts after a career-high 27 last time out vs. Toledo . . . overall it was Edwards' eighth career game with 20 or more carries.

• The 152-yard rushing outing was his first 100-yard outing as a Spartan and the 10th 100-yard rushing outing of his collegiate career after nine during his three seasons at UConn . . . it was his fourth 100-yard outing in his last five games, ending the 2025 season with three straight before the streak came to an end with 98 yards last time out in his Spartan debut, but back on track last Saturday with the 152 yards.

• With the two rushing TDs, Edwards tied his career-high for the sixth time of his career, and the first time since two in UConn's game vs. FAU (11/22/25) . . . it was Edwards' third outing with two TDs out of his last five games played.

• Graduate running back Jaziun Patterson scored his first rushing TD as a Spartan and his fifth career score, with four rushing TDs during his four seasons at Iowa (2022-25).

►DEFENSIVE NOTES
• The Spartan defense forced one takeaway for the second game in a row with a fumble recovery, along with a season-high 4.0 sacks of former MSU QB and current EMU QB Noah Kim, along with a season-high 7.0 tackles for loss, three pass break-ups and six QB hurries.

• Redshirt junior safety Devin Vaught and redshirt sophomore linebacker Brady Pretzlaff led MSU's defense in tackles for the second straight game, this time tying with a season-best eight stops apiece.

• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Eli Coenen finished with 2.0 sacks, the most of his Division I career, and tied his collegiate career-high with 2.0 sacks during the 2024 season while at Division II Bemidji State in a contest vs. Western Colorado (11/30/24).

• Graduate edge Kenny Soares Jr. posted a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss, topping his previous career-best of 1.0 TFLs a total of nine previous times in his career (2022-24 at Northwestern; 2025 at NC State), last doing so last season vs. Memphis (12/19/25).

• With his forced fumble and recovery in the third quarter, graduate cornerback Charles Brantley logged the first forced fumble and fumble recovery of his six-year collegiate career.

►SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Graduate placekicker Liam Boyd had five PATs, the second-most of his collegiate career behind his career-best of six PATs during his time at Charlotte, which came in a game vs. Monmouth (9/13/25).

• Junior punter Rhys Dakin had a season-long 59-yard punt that was downed at the EMU 3-yard line . . . it was Dakin's longest punt as a Spartan and the 27th 50+ yarder of his collegiate career with 26 during his two seasons at Iowa . . . the 59-yarder was the fourth-longest of his career, behind his career-long of 65 yards, along with two punts of 61 yards . . . it marked his second punt inside the 10 this season and the 14th punt inside the 10 of his collegiate career as part of the 49th career punt inside the 20.