EAST LANSING ~ After wrapping week two with a win against Eastern Michigan, the Spartans will take on the Fighting Irish in their first road game of the season. Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald told media on Monday that he’s eager to play a top team. “It’s why you come to play in the Big 10. You want to play in big games.”
The Notre Dame–MSU matchup is one of college football’s most storied rivalries. The official Battle for the Megaphone started in the 1940s, but the teams first met in 1897. In the 79 rivalry games since, Notre Dame has won 44, including the most recent meeting in 2017.
Notre Dame enters week three ranked No. 3, while MSU remains unranked. Fitzgerald said closing that gap starts with consistency in practice. “Our focus has got to be on putting together our standard four quarters of football. We still have not done that yet. And so, that’ll be our focus as we embark on this week,” he said Monday. The Spartans have played to two wins, but their scoring has been inconsistent across quarters. Fitzgerald noted he was proud of MSU’s second‑half response against Eastern, when the Eagles were a touchdown away from tying the score, but said early‑game weaknesses allowed Eastern to stay close.
Fitzgerald emphasized depth‑chart rotation throughout last week and said Saturday’s game showed progress. He pointed to young defensive backs, receivers, running backs and offensive linemen as groups that saw expanded opportunities. The increased rotation stands to build comprehensive strength for the Spartans beyond their starters.
The head coach laid out a clear expectation of his team: “My expectation is to compete and win Big 10 championships and compete and win national championships.” The goal is ambitious, but the Spartans have shown promise across their depth chart early this season. Watch how MSU takes on a top team on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
