MSU football hangs tough vs Notre Dame, then CJ Carr takes over

SOUTH BEND, IN – Michigan State football faced its biggest test of the young season in the new era under coach Pat Fitzgerald on Saturday, Sept. 19, against No. 3 Notre Dame. Fitzgerald was full of energy on the sideline as the Spartans brought physicality and toughness, but a few too many plays fro

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SOUTH BEND, IN – Michigan State football faced its biggest test of the young season in the new era under coach Pat Fitzgerald on Saturday, Sept. 19, against No. 3 Notre Dame.

Fitzgerald was full of energy on the sideline as the Spartans brought physicality and toughness, but a few too many plays from the Irish from star quarterback CJ Carr and mistakes from the Spartans – including a dropped touchdown catch – gave way to an MSU 27-10 loss to Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium.

The Irish (3-0) outrushed MSU (2-1), 161-44.

MSU entered as four-touchdown underdogs, and now looks to Big Ten Conference play in Week 4 next Saturday against Nebraska (3-0) at Spartan Stadium (5 p.m., Big Ten Network). The Cornhuskers defeated FCS-opponent North Dakota, 31-7,

on Saturday evening.

Jordan Hall played through his right elbow injury and stayed in despite re-injuring it during the game, but MSU lost fellow starting linebacker Brady Pretzlaff in the first half.

Carr, the junior quarterback from Saline and grandson of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, made a few escapes to avoid sacks from Kenny Soares Jr. and showed his potential NFL first-round draft pick pedigree with heady plays and impeccable deep ball accuracy.

Carr was 18-for-24 for 234 yards and scored a 3-yard early fourth-quarter touchdown to give the Irish breathing room at 27-10.

Alessio Milivojevic was under duress all night and finished 9-for-17 for 123 yards and two interceptions. Cam Edwards was the leading rusher with 12 carries for 38 yards, but slipped and injured his left foot late in the game trying to block a blitz.

Backup quarterback Cam Fancher scored a 15-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and had a touchdown pass dropped by a wide-open Kenneth Williams in the back of the end zone that forced MSU to settle for a field goal to trail 10-3.

Michigan State football schedule

MSU finished its nonconference schedule and next plays its first Big Ten game under Fitzgerald against the Cornhuskers in East Lansing. Here's the full 2026 schedule.

Week 1: W, 30-20 vs Toledo.
Week 2: W, 35-7 vs Eastern Michigan.
Week 3: L, 27-10 at Notre Dame.
Week 4: vs Nebraska, Saturday, Sept. 26 (5 p.m., BTN).
Week 5: at Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 3 (time and TV TBA).
Week 6: vs Illinois, Saturday, Oct. 10 (time and TV TBA).
Week 7: vs Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 17 (time and TV TBA).
Week 8: at UCLA, Saturday, Oct. 24 (time and TV TBA).
Week 9: BYE.
Week 10: at Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 7 (time and TV TBA).
Week 11: vs Washington, Saturday, Nov. 14 (time and TV TBA).
Week 12: vs Oregon, Friday, Nov. 20 (8 p.m. ET, Fox).
Week 13: at Rutgers, Saturday, Nov. 28 (time and TV TBA).

This breaking news story will be updated.

[ BLUE WALL? Graham Couch joined the "Freep Sports Show," your go-to Detroit/Michigan sports podcast, available anywhere you listen/watch (Apple, Spotify, YouTube). ]