Analysis
Michigan State at Notre Dame: Can the Spartans finish drives?
Michigan State followed five field goals against Toledo with five touchdowns against Eastern Michigan. Can that improvement hold up against Notre Dame?
Saturday, September 19 · 7:30 p.m. ET · NBC and Peacock · Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend
Michigan State has already made progress on the question that will follow it to South Bend. After settling for five field goals in a 30–20 win over Toledo, the Spartans scored five touchdowns in a 35–7 victory over Eastern Michigan. Now they face a Notre Dame defense that has allowed 13 points in two games.
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Can Michigan State keep finishing drives?
Cam Edwards ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Eastern Michigan. That gave him 250 rushing yards and three scores for the season. Michigan State scored touchdowns on five of its nine offensive possessions last week, a meaningful improvement on the opener.
The next test is sustaining drives against a stronger defense. Notre Dame has allowed 65.5 rushing yards per game. Edwards does not need a long run on every series, but Michigan State needs enough on early downs to avoid asking Alessio Milivojevic to rescue every possession with a third-down completion.
Milivojevic has completed 38 of 54 passes for 417 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His accuracy gives the Spartans a way to extend drives when the run stalls. Inside scoring range, the question is whether those completions can help produce touchdowns against Notre Dame, as they did against Eastern Michigan.
Can the Spartans disrupt CJ Carr?
Carr has thrown six touchdowns without an interception, and Notre Dame has allowed only one sack. The Irish beat Wisconsin 41–13 and Rice 52–0. Michigan State cannot count on matching that scoring pace if Carr has time to work through his receivers.
Eli Coenen has three sacks, including two last week. Pressure from the defensive front would let Michigan State keep more defenders in coverage. If the Spartans have to send extra rushers, Carr will have opportunities to punish the space they leave behind.
What to watch Saturday night
Watch how Michigan State finishes its first few drives and whether it can hurry Carr without repeated blitzes. The Spartans improved their touchdown production last week; keeping that improvement against Notre Dame is the challenge. Our Premium report puts the projected score alongside the unit comparisons and player usage.