EAST LANSING ~ Michigan State stayed competitive with No. 3 Notre Dame through the first half on Saturday, but in‑game injuries and a tightening Irish defense stalled the Spartans’ momentum in a 27–10 loss.
MSU scored all of its points in the second quarter—a field goal from kicker Liam Boyd and a rushing touchdown from quarterback Cam Fancher. Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan rotated Fancher and starter Alessio Milivojevic early, supporting head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s plan to “play more players” as he described through the week. The rotation was not a reflection of Milivojevic’s performance; he connected with Rodney Bullard Jr. on a 53‑yard pass, MSU’s longest play of the night.
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Notre Dame defense challenged the Spartan offense through the game, but became especially impenetrable in the second half. Increased pass pressure, sustained secondary coverage, and a string of interceptions kept MSU from adding to its score.
Injuries further complicated MSU’s game plan. Linebacker Jordan Hall played through an existing arm injury and briefly left the field after a scare in the second quarter. Fellow linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, started Saturday’s game with the added pressure of supporting Hall in his return, was helped off the field after a hit to the head. Running back Cam Edwards limped off late in the fourth quarter with an apparent left-foot injury late in the fourth quarter, a setback that limited MSU’s final offensive push.
The loss drops MSU to 2–1, but the Spartans closed the gap to a 17‑point margin after entering the game as 29.5‑point underdogs. Fitzgerald’s team will look to finish drives more consistently and stabilize its defense ahead of next week’s matchup with Nebraska. MSU returns to Spartan Stadium on Saturday, while the Megaphone Trophy remains in South Bend.
