9/18: Notre Dame at Michigan State

• killer_ewok

  

  The 1-1 Fighting Irish travel to East Lansing to take on the Michigan State Spartans following a heartbreaking loss to Michigan 28-24. ND defeated Purdue 23-12 in the season opener.
  
  Michigan State is off to a 2-0 start via a 30-17 win over Florida Atlantic and a 38-14 victory against Western Michigan. The Spartans have the 11th ranked rushing attack in the nation. ND has the 20th ranked passing game in the country.
  
  The Irish need to rebound in a big way and get a win against a rival. A road night game makes it all the more difficult and Michigan State is usually a thorn in ND's side. It won't be easy. I'm pretty sure this is the 8:00 game on ABC.
  
  GO IRISH
• sherm03

  

  While a road night game is always a nightmare...the Irish usually fare well IN East Lansing. If this game was in South Bend, I'd be more worried.
  
  As long as Crist stays healthy and play the whole game, I think the Irish take this one.
• karen lotz

  

  Need a big bounce back effort here. Still a lot of football to be played this season and they can't come out feeling sorry for themselves. I think facing a more traditional offense will help the defense and ND's rushing game will get a pretty good test from MSU. Hopefully Crist doesn't have any lingering effects from yesterday, because the offense looked bad without him.
• dwccrew

  

  I honestly don't think MSU is all that great this season. I think ND could bounce back from a game they should have won and take it to Sparty. It'll be a battle with ND coming out the victor. ND 31-27
• vball10set

  this game will be a confidence builder for the Irish...ND 35 MSU 31
• sjmvsfscs08

  The Michigan loss hurt, and call me delusional but I think Notre Dame wins that with Crist available all game. I didn't like how Notre Dame matched up with Michigan, but with Crist they looked considerably better. The fact that Notre Dame won the second half of a tight ballgame 17-7 means Notre Dame's coaching staff outcoached the Wolverines.
  
  I like Notre Dame in this one, assuming Crist doesn't get hurt. Notre Dame will lose every game if Crist is hurt, a frightening thought. But I still am adamant that his deep ball sorta blows at this point, and since that's Michael Floyd's forte, he's struggled against underneath double coverage.
  
  Brian Smith still doesn't get approval from me.
  
  We should all be cognizant of the fact Notre Dame passed for 380+ yards in the loss to Michigan and ran for 150+. Kelly's offense did well and would've destroyed with a healthy Crist.
  
  That said, I regard Notre Dame as a solid team with a crucial lack of depth at some spots and a very good coach, and Michigan as team talented offensively and a great offensive coach. That gimmicky offense Michigan runs is frustrating as fuck, but it gets the job done and is a great equalizer.
  
  Michigan State is a whole new set of challenges, but they're more conventional and I think Kelly and Diaco coach well enough to win.
• ptown_trojans_1

  

  I like Sparty and their insane rushing attack in this one.
  The Irish will keep it close, but their defense is just not good enough.
• slingshot4ever

  MSU by 3
• sherm03

  

  I want Notre Dame to win a close come-from-behind victory in this one so I can hear another one of these...
  
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• sherm03

  

  I want Notre Dame to win a close come-from-behind victory so I can hear another one of these...
  
  [video=youtube;yWmXe1w6XBk][/video]
  
  [video=youtube;vjGxfiebmuo][/video]
• Tiger2003

  

  Got to root for the Spartans in this one. MSU by 5.
• karen lotz

  

  Classic stuff sherm.
• dat dude

  With or without Crist, I'll take MSU in this one.
• killer_ewok

  

  A thank you to Trueblue23 for "sticky-ing" this thread for us. Much appreciated.
• believer

  

  ND snatched defeat at home from the jaws of victory against Michigan. That's gotta hurt. This week the Irish travel to MSU against the Spartans who have yet to be tested.
  
  Will ND bounce back after having their bell rung? If the Irish get beat by the Spartans it could be another long, long season for ND fans.
  
  MSU 24
  Notre Dame 20
• Tiernan

  Sparty spanks Shamrocks shamelessly. Kelly, Knute cry continuosly.
• sjmvsfscs08

  Tiernan;482156 wrote:Sparty spanks Shamrocks shamelessly. Kelly, Knute cry continuosly.

  
  continuosly?
• bo shemmy3337

  Should be a good game and I am going to be watching it. I really want to see how Michigan state looks against ND. It will give me an idea of who is going to win the Michigan Michigan state game. I Think it is going to be hard at times for ND with this new system. Kelly is a great coach and is going to have a very good team next year IMO. I think the Defense of Notre damn is going to have a great game because Michigan state Offense is no where near as good as Michigan's. I think it will be a low scoring game and I actually think ND is going to win this in a close one. The new system and young qb play is the only reason ND lost last week. I am thinking 21 -17 or 21- 14 ND.
• bo shemmy3337

  Sep. 4 Purdue W 23-12
  Sep. 11 Michigan L 24-28
  Sep. 18 at Michigan State 8:00pm
  Sep. 25 Stanford 3:30pm
  Oct. 2 at Boston College TBA
  Oct. 9 Pittsburgh 3:30pm
  Oct. 16 Western Michigan 2:30pm
  Oct. 23 at Navy 12:00pm
  Oct. 30 Tulsa 2:30pm
  Nov. 13 Utah 2:30pm
  Nov. 20 Army 7:00pm
  Nov. 27 at USC 8:00pm
  
  
  With what ND has left I see them getting to 6 wins with no problem at all with a strong possibility of 8 wins. That's not bad while learning a new system and have a lot come back next year along with a traditionally good recruiting class. ND is going to win at least 9 next year, Mark my words.
• OneBuckeye

  

  Stanford beat down UCLA soundly, I think the irish could start 0-4, but will most likley win 7 games total. That schedule does not look fun with MSU Navy Stanford Utah USC and Pitt (depending on the week). They could definately only win 4 games at worse, but I think they will win two or three of the tougher games and take care of the 4 easier teams.
  
  As for MSU, I think that it will be a high scoring game, over 50 pts total and it will come down to the last drive or two, which is not a surprise for this series. I think it is s coinflip. Go Sparty!
• karen lotz

  

  OneBuckeye;482508 wrote:Stanford beat down UCLA soundly, I think the irish could start 0-4, but will most likley win 7 games total. That schedule does not look fun with MSU Navy Stanford Utah USC and Pitt (depending on the week). They could definately only win 4 games at worse, but I think they will win two or three of the tougher games and take care of the 4 easier teams.
  
  As for MSU, I think that it will be a high scoring game, over 50 pts total and it will come down to the last drive or two, which is not a surprise for this series. I think it is s coinflip. Go Sparty!

  
  Would you like to wager a very large sum of money ND doesn't start 0-4? Blank check vs blank check?
• sherm03

  

  I will also bet my house and and my wife that ND does NOT start the year 0-4.
• Hamp89

  sherm03;482523 wrote:I will also bet my house and and my wife that ND does NOT start the year 0-4.

  
  haha.
• OneBuckeye

  

  karen lotz;482512 wrote:Would you like to wager a very large sum of money ND doesn't start 0-4? Blank check vs blank check?

  sherm03;482523 wrote:I will also bet my house and and my wife that ND does NOT start the year 0-4.

  
  You guys don't think there is a chance ND gets beat by MSU and Stanford? Both are good programs.
• sherm03

  

  OneBuckeye;482572 wrote:You guys don't think there is a chance ND gets beat by MSU and Stanford? Both are good programs.

  
  They may.
  
  But I will still put my house and my wife up against anything that anyone wants to bet that Notre Dame is not 0-4 after the Stanford game.