Trip down memory lane: Looking back at MSU/Notre Dame rivalry
MSU football players plant the Spartan flag on the 50-yard line of Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., following their 44-41 victory in overtime over the Irish on Sept. 17, 2005.
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There’s little doubt MSU’s rivalry with Notre Dame has become one of the most interesting in college football.
MSU head coach Mark Dantonio, who speaks proudly and constantly about his football program’s tradition, can’t help but think about how great an opportunity it is to be involved in an MSU/Notre Dame game.
“This is the sixth time I’ve been involved in this game and every time I’ve been involved with it, it gets a little more exciting,” Dantonio said. “I think it points to all the people who have played in it and I really do believe when you look at the past at Michigan State, it links everybody together.”
The rivalry between the two storied programs dates back to 1897, and while the Fighting Irish hold the series lead 44-26-1, the Spartans have closed the gap in recent years, winning eight of the past 11.
Heading into Saturday’s matchup, The State News decided to take a look back at the rivalry’s lofty highs and undeniable lows.
2005: MSU 44, ND 41 (OT)
The game: No. 10 Notre Dame came fighting back, rattling off 21 consecutive points to send the game into overtime.
After an Irish field goal got overtime started, MSU running back Jason Teague scored on a 19-yard option pitch from Drew Stanton to give the Spartans the win and hand Charlie Weis his first loss as Notre Dame coach.
Rivalry impact: After the Fighting Irish “forgot” the Megaphone Trophy, which is given each year to the winner of the game, a group of MSU players planted an MSU flag on Notre Dame Stadium’s 50-yard line.
Looking back: “A lot of that childish stuff that went on in the past — especially us with the whole planting the flag in the middle of the field — that was definitely childish on our part.
(It was) just unclassy and that’s something a lot of people involved in it didn’t need to do.” — Senior running back Javon Ringer
Domino Effect: The game gave the Spartans confidence, as they put up 61 points against Illinois the next week to move to 4-0 and surge to 11th in the national rankings. However, that confidence was quickly shattered as the Spartans dropped six of their next seven to finish 5-6 on the season.
2006: ND 40, MSU 37
The game: Do you really need a reminder? After MSU jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter of a nationally televised night game, the Fighting Irish came back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Amid wind and rain, the Irish scored 19 fourth-quarter points and Notre Dame cornerback Terrail Lambert intercepted a Stanton pass with 2:53 remaining to cap an improbable come-from-behind win.
Rivalry impact: A few of the Spartans stood on the field waiting for Notre Dame players to plant a flag, but the Irish were too overjoyed with the win to worry about retaliation.
Looking back: “It was some of the highest highs and some of the lowest lows, but things happen for a reason. That loss hurt us, but I don’t think one game can turn a season.” — Senior defensive end Justin Kershaw
Domino Effect: After the loss, the Spartans went on a downward spiral, losing seven of their last eight games to finish 4-8.
Then-MSU head coach John L. Smith was fired after the season.
2007: MSU 31, ND 14
The game: With MSU clinging to a slim 17-14 halftime lead, senior quarterback Brian Hoyer came out of the locker room and threw two touchdowns in the third quarter to give the Spartans their sixth straight win in South Bend, Ind.
Rivalry impact: The sixth straight win marked the longest winning streak for any visiting team at Notre Dame Stadium. No flags were planted and no trophies were forgotten.
Looking back: “When we were able to go over there (and win) I felt real good for our players. I felt like the monkey was off everybody’s back a little bit and that we were able to go over and play well. I was real happy for our players.” — Dantonio
Domino Effect: The 4-0 Spartans went 3-5 in Big Ten play, winning their last two regular season games to earn the program’s first bowl bid in four years. The loss dropped Notre Dame to 0-4 as the Fighting Irish finished the season 3-9 — their worst record since 1963.
2008: MSU vs. ND 3:30 p.m. Saturday
The game: The Spartans enter the game sitting at 2-1 with one of the premier rushing attacks in the nation, while Notre Dame is fresh off a convincing win over mutual rival Michigan.
State of the rivalry: “You never know if a team is going to retaliate, but they were very classy (in 2007) and didn’t do that, so my respect goes to them. I’m glad it’s back to a more mutual respect now and we can just go out and play good, hard football.” — Ringer
Looking forward: With a win, the Spartans would move to 3-1 heading into Big Ten action with a legitimate shot at being 6-1 before facing Ohio State, U-M and Wisconsin during a three-game stretch.
A win for Notre Dame would improve its record to 3-0 and give it more confidence.
Commentary
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Lee
(09/19/08 8:13am)Report
Ah, this brings the memories back…
2005: My last year at MSU. We were overpowering a nationally ranked team on the road… then lost control, but survived in OT. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
2006: We were overpower a nationally ranked team on national TV… then lost control and were humiliated with a wet, soggy loss. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
While we’re at this fun exercise, let’s throw in every MSU/Michigan game from 2003 to 2006.
2003: We never figured out that the Wolverines would run Chris Perry up the middle on EVERY play. We can only hope our opposing teams in 2008 are that naïve about Javon Ringer. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
2004: We were overpowering a nationally ranked team on the road… then lost control. I’ll give part of the blame to the cheap shot on Stanton. Of course we never figured out that the Wolverines would throw to Braylon Edwards on EVERY play. I’ve never seen such a gut-wrenching game in my life. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
2005: After talking about it “being the year” we lacked emotion almost the whole game. Missed opportunities sent the home game into OT where we lost. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
2006: Never even got into this game. Thanks a lot, John L. Smith.
There are so, so, so many more games that I want to thank you for, John L. Smith, but I’m sure you’ve gotten the message by now. A cowboy in Michigan, you truly marched to your own drum… of course it may have helped if you left the marching to the band and tried coaching a little defense and clock management now and then.
John, if you’re reading this, please slap yourself a few more times on TV. My hat goes off to you – you truly knew how to bring a program to its knees.
Jason
(09/19/08 10:03am)Report
Lee, that was hilarious…he was a big, dumb oaf wasn’t he…the slap heard around the world.
Emmy
(09/19/08 1:46pm)Report
Lee, fantastic work.
Go green!
MSUWest
(09/19/08 1:59pm)Report
Why is it never brought up that it was ND that FIRST planted their flag in the endzone in Spartan Stadium following the 2004 game!!!!!
Dan
(09/20/08 2:54am)Report
try as you may…you are still Michigan Lite. love the way you posted the only glory you have which is beating Notre Dame on down years…..we like you the spartans….usually a easy victory. by the way, you’re only glory moments are those against the irish in which you beat a team that most Ameircan were rooting for…..Have a nice day taliban of the Big Ten….opps there are 11 of you, none of which that can beat the Pac ten or SEC or big 12
Dan
(09/20/08 3:09am)Report
Javon Ringer is one of the best student atheletes in the country. I almost feel bad for my lack of respect for MSU, can’t get over the flag planting and then the thought that we would lower ourselve to do the same. He is what you hope for when looking for a heisman winner. Cudos to him. Class act.
Tim
(09/20/08 10:43am)Report
Great blogs!!
I have been posting my point of view on the LSJ Green and White page for some time now. However, it seems like the editors are into blocking the blogs that they don’t agree with. Censorship reighns there, it would seem. Those blogs that are most favorable to their POV are posted; others not so favorable are not. First Amendment rights are not, it would seem, respected “over there.”
Maybe the grass is greener here. Let’s hope so…and let’s also hope for a win today. This MSU program could surely use the boost.
Karl
(09/22/08 8:21am)Report
Dan, you “love the way he posted the only glory we have which is beating Notre Dame on down years”? MSU has beaten ND 9 out of the last 12 times. Those are a lot of down years, I guess…
Ken
(09/23/08 9:53am)Report
I agree Karl, if ND has so many down years its probably time for them to re-work their football program or at least re-evaluate their strategy against MSU.
I’ve been a part of MSU only since 2002 when I joined the master’s program and I’ve been left hurt and almost in tears EVERY year not because our team is bad but because they lose it at the END like Lee pointed out.
We had Smoker who had a fantastic arm but could not connect well with Rogers because he was partying too hard on campus. He comes back Senior year from rehab and puts together a good performance but our coaches make huge blunders at crucial times. Then came Stanton and his Vince-Young-type QB rushing game. Stanton wasn’t scare of anybody DL, DB, LB – He took them all and in fact headbutted them to the ground. But then he screwed up at crucial times and the MSU coaching staff (as usual).
Apart from all the bad outings against Mich where we should have beaten them, the game against OSU in 2005 also brings up painful memories. We were up 17-7 with some 25 seconds to go for halftime. The Spartans lined up for a field goal instead of spiking the ball and stopping the clock. The kicking team got on the field with clock running and put together a field goal (impossible task to do in 20 seconds). OSU blocks the field goal and returns it for a touchdown. After that it was all downhill. We had OSU pinned down in their own backyard and we let it slip. Oh the pain!
I am very hopeful that our new coach is going to turn this program around just like Tom Izzo did for the bball unit.
JAVON for Heisman!