First meeting 1897 Trophy Megaphone Trophy | Next meeting 2017 | |
All-time series Notre Dame leads, 48–29–1 | ||
The Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Michigan State Spartans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The first game between the teams took place in 1897. Michigan State and Notre Dame started competing against each other in football in 1897. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 48–29–1.
Beginning in 1949, the teams competed for the Megaphone Trophy, a trophy introduced by the Alumni Clubs of Notre Dame and Michigan State to be presented to the winner of the game. Notre Dame leads the Megaphone Trophy series 34–27–1.
The Notre Dame side of the trophy is blue, while the Michigan State side is green, and the year of the game and teams' respective scores running down the middle. The current trophy is the third trophy as the prior two trophies no longer have space for the respective games to be included.
The rivalry includes several notable games, such as the 1966 game, arguably one of the greatest college football games ever played. Notre Dame currently leads the series. Games played prior to 1949 also appear on the trophy to commemorate the entire series. Michigan State is the current holder of the trophy, with a 36–28 victory on September 17, 2016.
Recent games
After an 8–0 series run by Notre Dame from 1987 to 1994, tying the series win streak set by Michigan State from 1955 to 1963 (they didn't meet in 1958), Michigan State won five games in a row. Michigan State won 44–41 in double overtime at Notre Dame in 2005. Notre Dame pulled out a thrilling come from behind 40–37 victory in East Lansing in 2006. The trend continued in 2007 for Michigan State under new head coach Mark Dantonio who defeated the Fighting Irish 31–14, recording MSU's sixth straight victory at Notre Dame. On September 20, 2008, MSU defeated Notre Dame 23–7 in East Lansing, ending the series "jinx" of home teams always losing since 2001. Notre Dame returned the favor the following year by defeating MSU at Notre Dame. The 2010 meeting had one of the most exciting finishes to the start of the college football season. A back and forth battle the entire game, Notre Dame took the lead in overtime off of a field goal. After Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins was sacked on third down, Michigan State lined up for a field goal to tie the game at 31. They faked it, and the holder Aaron Bates tossed a game-winning touchdown pass to Charlie Gantt to win it 34–31 for the Spartans. In 2011, the Irish reclaimed the trophy with a 31–13 victory in which they led all the way. Notre Dame's 17–13 victory in South Bend in 2013 made it three wins in a row for the Irish and was perhaps the most controversial game in memory. The teams renewed the rivalry in 2016, as No. 12 Michigan State reclaimed the trophy by defeating No. 18 Notre Dame in South Bend 36–28.