Michigan State Heads to South Bend as Heavy Underdog for Primetime NBC Showcase
Michigan State Heads to South Bend as Heavy Underdog for Primetime NBC Showcase
Michigan State football faces its toughest test of the young season Saturday night, traveling to Notre Dame Stadium for a nationally televised matchup against the Fighting Irish. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, the broadcast home of Notre Dame football and a property of Comcast, whose shares closed at $22.74, down 1.22% from the prior close of $23.02, valuing the media and telecom giant at roughly $92.5 billion.
The Spartans enter at 2-0 after wins over a pair of Mid-American Conference opponents, but oddsmakers expect a steep step up in competition. Michigan State is projected to lose by more than four touchdowns against a Notre Dame team widely viewed as one of the most talented rosters in the country under coach Marcus Freeman.
The game marks an early spotlight moment for first-year coach Pat Fitzgerald, who is still building his program in East Lansing after a long run at Northwestern. It is also a marquee stage for Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who will face off against Notre Dame signal-caller C.J. Carr, a former Saline High School star and the son of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.
Weather could play a factor, with rain in the forecast in South Bend — a variable that could shape play-calling and favor a ground-heavy approach. Michigan State’s untested secondary will be under pressure, and the potential absence of a key player could expose breakdowns that appeared during the first two weeks.
Writers covering the matchup for the Detroit Free Press unanimously predicted a Notre Dame victory, with projected scores ranging from 35-10 to 41-14. Still, they noted that a competitive showing into the second half would represent meaningful progress for a program in the early stages of a rebuild under Fitzgerald.
What to watch
- Whether Michigan State’s offense can sustain drives against an elite Notre Dame defense in a hostile road environment.
- The performance of quarterbacks Alessio Milivojevic and C.J. Carr in their highest-profile starts to date.
- How weather affects Notre Dame’s balance between passing and rushing attacks.
- Michigan State’s upcoming schedule and early-season Big Ten standings as the conference slate unfolds.
Source: original release