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Michigan State Football: 5 storylines to follow vs. Notre Dame

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:11 p.m. ET

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Sep 21, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans cornerback Darqueze Dennard (31) breaks up a pass intended for Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver DaVaris Daniels (10) at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State football returns to the field Saturday after its bye week for the next installment of its rivalry series with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The last time Michigan State football faced off with Notre Dame on the gridiron, the Spartans sent out an inexperienced quarterback looking to capitalize on an opportunity to become the next great MSU signal-caller. That QB, then-sophomore Connor Cook, was following in the footsteps of Kirk Cousins. In the end, the 22nd-ranked Irish outlasted the 24th-ranked Spartans in a 17-13 defensive battle that was highlighted by four pass-interference calls against the MSU secondary.

While there are parallels to that game, as senior QB Tyler O’Connor takes the field for his second start after replacing the departed Cook, MSU hopes the similarities end there.

While the Spartans took care of business with a week one victory, they did not dispel the notion they could be in a rebuild year with the 28-13 win over FCS foe Furman. Some will chalk this up to a vanilla game plan with the Irish looming or playing down to the opponent, but it’s clear the Spartans will need a much better performance to take down Notre Dame.

After losing in heartbreaking fashion in Week 1 at Texas, the Irish bounced back with a convincing 39-10 home victory over Nevada in their second game. While it took Notre Dame a few possessions to get rolling offensively, the Irish defense was solid from the get-go. After giving up 50 points, 237 rushing yards and 280 passing yards to the Longhorns, this was a crucial confidence boost.

With both teams looking to stay alive in the playoff hunt, this game could go a long way to deciding the 2016 season outcomes for the Spartans and Irish. Here are five storylines to follow as you watch.

5. The return of LB Ed Davis

Michigan State football received good news late last week when the NCAA cleared senior linebacker Ed Davis for a sixth year of eligibility. Davis missed all of the 2015 season to an ACL injury, but was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick as a junior.

While MSU already features a talented group of linebackers, Davis is a talented pass-rusher (seven sacks in 2015) who will be an x-factor if he’s able to play enough snaps. Michigan State will not be counting on the Detroit native to return to the starting lineup, but if he can provide good value in limited snaps, that’s all MSU needs.

Despite featuring some talented defensive lineman, the Spartans are short on pass-rushers who have proven they can bring down a QB of DeShone Kizer’s stature. Davis, while certainly not at 100 percent, could alleviate this concern.

Sep 4, 2015; Kalamazoo, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio stands on the field between plays during the 2nd half of a game at Waldo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

4. Will Michigan State end its losing streak to Notre Dame?

Michigan State football has been a different program under Mark Dantonio since the head coach took over ahead of the 2007 season. Gone are the days of the “Same Old Spartans”, a term earned through consistent collapses in games that MSU should have won. Under Coach D, Michigan State is known for a physical, no-quit attitude that keeps opponents from rarely ever feeling like they have a game in the bag.

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While everyone is aware of the Spartans’ success in the Big Ten under Dantonio, Michigan State has also excelled in non-conference bouts.

Since 2010, the Spartans have won all of their non-conference regular season games, except for a road game at Oregon in 2014 and match-ups against the Irish in 2011, 2012 and 2013. In fact, with regular season wins over Boise State and the Ducks (in 2015) and bowl wins over TCU, Georgia, Stanford and Baylor during that stretch, MSU has fared well against all of its non-conference opponents; except the Irish and Alabama.

While Dantonio still owns a respectable 3-4 record against Notre Dame, after three losses in a row, it’s time for the coach to buck the trend.

Sep 2, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Tyler O

3. Tyler O’Connor: Next Andrew Maxwell or Connor Cook?

There’s no denying it: when Michigan State football has been at its best under Dantonio, it’s had a great quarterback under center. Sure, great running backs, underrated offensive lineman and receivers and dominant defenses have all played their parts in that success, but there’s a reason why the QB is the face of the program.

If the Spartans are going to stave off regression and win back-to-back Big Ten titles, they will need O’Connor to be more like Kirk Cousins and Connor Cook (stars) and less like Brian Hoyer and Andrew Maxwell (game managers).

The fifth-year senior earned his starting spot after taking over for an injured Cook in last year’s road win at Ohio State, but let’s not kid ourselves, he didn’t win that game without a lot of help. Playing a mistake-free game is crucial to good quarterback play, but we have yet to see O’Connor step up and make all the big throws against a heavyweight like the Irish.

While MSU does have some question marks surrounding its offense, O’Connor appears to have enough weapons around him to win on Saturday. Plus, Notre Dame is one of just five FBS teams without a recorded sack in 2016, so O’Connor should have time in the pocket.

It’s time to see what the fifth-year senior is truly made of.

Sep 4, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker James Onwualu (1) consoles cornerback Shaun Crawford (20) as they leave the field after Texas defeated Notre Dame 50-47 in double overtime at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

2. Depleted Notre Dame secondary

Notre Dame experienced some of the worst injury luck in college football last season, but it appears that not much has changed in 2016. The Irish will be without several starting defenders against MSU, including cornerback Shaun Crawford, who left the Nevada game with a torn Achilles.

While just a sophomore, Crawford was one of the bright spots in Notre Dame’s secondary before going down — something MSU fans can relate to after watching CB Vayante Copeland go down early last season.

The Irish were already without junior cornerback Nick Watkins, who recently underwent surgery for a fractured left humerus, and suspended corner Devin Butler, who was arrested in August. Furthermore, safety Max Redfield, another starter, was dismissed from the program in early September following his arrest for another incident involving Irish players.

Notre Dame recruits with the best of them, but no program can sustain that kind of unexpected attrition right before the season.

With Crawford out, the Irish are left with a rotation behind starters Cole Luke and Nick Coleman that is composed of freshman. If there was ever an opportunity for Michigan State football to open up its new passing attack with O’Connor, it’s this one.

Nov 28, 2015; Stanford, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) reacts after the Stanford Cardinal defeated Notre Dame 38-36 at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

1. Is Notre Dame’s QB controversy truly resolved?

Don’t get me wrong, Deshone Kizer is deserving of the starting job in South Bend. He’s got all the physical tools— NFL-size, a big arm and surprising mobility. To put it simply, Notre Dame’s best shot at earning a playoff berth is with #14 under center.

Must Read: MSU Football: 5 bold predictions for month of September

That said, Irish head coach Brian Kelly surprised many by allowing the QB competition between Kizer and former starter Malik Zaire to drag out through camp and into the season. He had everyone scratching their heads when he flipped between the two QBs in Notre Dame’s opener vs. Texas and completely bewildered when he was still non-committal to Kizer following the loss.

Zaire was the favorite to lead the program just over a year ago when Everett Golson left for Florida State, but has been underwhelming since falling victim to an injury last season. Can he push Kizer for the job despite the junior’s success over the past year?

Although Kizer is now the official starter, just how long of a leash does he have vs. MSU? Should Kizer struggle early and the Irish fall behind by a couple of scores, will Kelly get the itch to sub in Zaire? The most recent signs suggest Kizer’s job is secure, but this looming controversy is something to keep a close eye on if things get dicey early for the Irish.

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