Week 3 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame: One question and one answer
From line-of-scrimmage play to quarterback Cam Fancher's impact — a question and an answer from MSU's loss in South Bend.
Michigan State’s 27-10 loss to Notre Dame in Week 3 provided plenty of talking points and maybe even a different outlook on the future. A moral victory is not something Pat Fitzgerald strived for on Saturday night in South Bend, and that’s what fans want to hear from their school's head coach as his first real test as the leader of the Spartans reminded many people why he was able to get so far with so many doubting him throughout his career.
Now, there’s still a long road between now and the end of the 2026 season, with Big Ten play kicking off Saturday versus Nebraska at Spartan Stadium, and Michigan State should be happy that its first litmus test came at the time it did. It may turn out that MSU played its hardest game of the year already, and if that is the case, the Spartans may reach many of their goals this season. MSU fought hard against No. 3-ranked Notre Dame, but it ultimately fell short and did not threaten to win. Now, it starts with how the Spartans respond to the loss.
This week, Spartans Illustrated once again takes a deep look at a question the Spartans were able to answer in their previous outing against the Fighting Irish, and examines what burning question still remains heading into Big Ten play.
Question That Was Answered
Q: How will the line of scrimmage look compared to one of the nation’s best in Notre Dame?
A: Competent
The first real test under the Pat Fitzgerald regime provided plenty of insight into how we view this team’s floor and ceiling this season. Despite the score and yardage discrepancy, anyone who watched the game could tell you that the Fighting Irish had to claw their way through a mucky win and Michigan State made it physical.
What stuck out most was the marginal difference in line-of-scrimmage play, at least to start the game, as MSU was able to go into the locker room down just one score, 17-10 at halftime. The Spartans were steady defensively most of the night and responded early after giving up a 61-yard pass from CJ Carr on the first play of the game, holding the Irish to a field goal. The lack of depth caught up a bit toward the end of the game, as Notre Dame was able to find more success on the ground, but didn't break off many huge chunks.
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