"Four" your information: Road team dominates rivalry

Few rivalries across the nation carry as much history as the one between MSU and Notre Dame. Wild comebacks, colossal upsets and breathtaking finishes have been normal in a rivalry that has been anything but. Here’s a look at a few of the many peculiar matchup trends that have made this rivalry stand out like a finely polished Notre Dame helmet.

1) Road dominance: The visiting team has won each of the past six games by an average of 6.6 points per game. Only last year’s game, which MSU won 31-14, was decided by more than a touchdown. All-time, Notre Dame has a 16-11-1 record at Spartan Stadium, while MSU has won its last six games at Notre Dame Stadium.

2) Golden finishes: Many of the games between the teams this decade have featured fantastic comebacks by Notre Dame. During 2006’ infamous “Monsoon Game,” No. 12 Notre Dame rallied from a 16-point fourth quarter deficit to drown the Spartans, 40-37.

The year before, No. 10 Notre Dame erased a 21-point third quarter deficit to extend the game to overtime in a contest the Spartans eventually won, 44-41, thanks to a 19-yard game-winning touchdown run by Jason Teague in the first overtime.

In 2002, No. 12 Notre Dame head coach and former MSU football player Tyrone Willingham watched his Irish comeback from a late fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Spartans 21-17, courtesy of an Arnaz Battle touchdown reception with 1:15 remaining.

3) Changing trend: Notre Dame boasts a 44-26-1 all-time series lead to MSU, but the Spartans have won eight of their last 11 games against the Irish. Considered one of the best football games of all-time, the one tie between the schools came in 1966, when No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 MSU finished in a 10-10 lock.

4) Looking ahead: MSU and Notre Dame will continue to meet every season until 2013, but the rivalry will then take a two-year hiatus. Notre Dame will reappear on MSU’s schedule between 2016-2019, disappear once again between 2020-2021 and then re-emerge between 2022-2025.