Almost a decade has passed since Notre Dame faced border rival Michigan State.
This weekend, it might feel as if no time at all has passed. The No. 3 Fighting Irish (2-0) will welcome the Spartans (2-0) in front of a prime-time television audience on Saturday evening in South Bend, Ind.
The winner of the renewed rivalry game will receive the Megaphone Trophy. It is the first meeting since 2017.
“If you’re playing for a rivalry trophy, then you have to know why and the history behind it or why even play for it, right?” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “And, you know, it’s a way to say, ‘Hey, there’s a reward for this win, bigger than just team glory. Like, there’s actually a physical reward.’
“And when we don’t play rivalry games, that’s what we talked about, team glory. That’s what we’re striving to get. But, you know, this one has the megaphone. And you’re able to talk to them about the past, the history of the game, just so they know.”
Notre Dame is coming off back-to-back wins over Wisconsin and Rice by a combined score of 93-13.
Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr has completed 71.4% of his passes for 492 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Aneyas Williams leads the ground attack with 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Jordan Faison is the top receiver with 135 yards and a pair of touchdown catches.
Michigan State also is off to a hot start. The Spartans held off Toledo for a 30-20 win in their season opener, and they cruised to a 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan in their second contest.
Now comes the first road game for Michigan State.
Spartans coach Pat Fitzgerald praised Freeman for the work he has done at Notre Dame. Fitzgerald is in his first season with Michigan State but had a lengthy, successful tenure at Northwestern.
“Being in this fifth year, he’s done a terrific job at a program that is storied,” Fitzgerald said of Freeman. “It’s got a lot that goes along with the day-to-day of being the head coach at Notre Dame. And he’s just handled it, you know, A-plus, and his team is just complete.
“There’s not one place you look on the tape that you see anything as far as an issue that they have, looking at it from the outside looking in. They’re a complete team, and it’s going to take our best preparation, our best focus, our best execution to give ourselves a chance to compete.”
Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has completed 70.4% of his passes for 417 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. His top target is Rodney Bullard Jr., who has caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Eli Coenen leads the Spartans with three sacks in two games.
Notre Dame linebacker Jaiden Ausberry leads the team with 12 tackles in two weeks, and cornerback DJ McKinney has an interception return for a touchdown. Boubacar Traore, Bryce Young and Francis Brewu have one sack apiece.
