Michigan State Moves to 2–0, But Now the Real Test Begins at Notre Dame

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State has handled the first part of the assignment.

Now comes the test that could tell us much more about Pat Fitzgerald’s new-look Spartans.

Michigan State improved to 2–0 Saturday with a 35–7 victory over Eastern Michigan at Spartan Stadium, using a dominant second half to turn what had been a competitive game into a convincing win.

The Spartans led just 14–7 at halftime before scoring 21 unanswered points over the final two quarters.

And with Notre Dame waiting next weekend, the timing of Michigan State’s second-half performance couldn’t have been much better.

The Running Game Comes Alive

One of the biggest developments Saturday was the performance of Cam Edwards.

Edwards rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries, averaging more than seven yards per attempt and giving Michigan State the type of production on the ground it will need as the schedule gets tougher.

Michigan State finished with 258 rushing yards and 472 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic also delivered an efficient performance, completing 12 of 20 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception.

One of those scores went to Charles Taplin on a 38-yard touchdown reception.

But the difference between Michigan State’s first and second halves may be the most encouraging part of Saturday’s performance.

After a relatively uneven opening half, the Spartans generated 329 yards of offense after halftime.

Defense Slams the Door

Michigan State’s defense made an even bigger statement after the break.

Eastern Michigan managed only 57 total yards in the second half and finished with minus-6 rushing yards over the final two quarters.

The Eagles never scored again after halftime.

That’s the type of response Fitzgerald will want to see from his team — especially after Michigan State’s season-opening 30–20 victory over Toledo also showed there was plenty left to clean up.

Through two games, Fitzgerald is 2–0 as Michigan State’s head coach.

But those two victories have come against MAC opponents.

Next Saturday will be different.

Now Comes Notre Dame

Michigan State travels to South Bend on Saturday, Sept. 19, to face Notre Dame in the renewal of the battle for the Megaphone Trophy.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

And Notre Dame isn’t exactly easing into this matchup.

The No. 3 Fighting Irish just dismantled Rice 52–0, with quarterback CJ Carr completing 16 of 20 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns.

So this becomes the first major measuring stick of the Fitzgerald era.

Can Michigan State establish the running game against an elite opponent?

Can Milivojevic protect the football when the pressure increases?

Can the Spartans’ defense reproduce what it showed in Saturday’s second half?

And perhaps most importantly, can Michigan State compete for four quarters on the road against one of the nation’s best teams?

Jordan Hall’s Status Worth Watching

Another storyline heading into Notre Dame week will be the health of linebacker and captain Jordan Hall, who missed Saturday’s game with an elbow injury.

Fitzgerald offered an encouraging update following the Eastern Michigan victory, indicating Hall’s absence was precautionary and expressing optimism about having him available moving forward.

His status will still be worth monitoring throughout the week.

Michigan State would certainly like one of the leaders of its defense back on the field before heading into South Bend.

The Real Evaluation Starts Now

There’s nothing wrong with being 2–0.

Michigan State has done exactly what it needed to do through the first two weeks of the Fitzgerald era.

The Spartans beat Toledo.

They took care of Eastern Michigan.

And Saturday’s second half showed flashes of a team capable of playing physical, complementary football.

But Notre Dame represents an entirely different level of competition.

A win in South Bend would immediately change the conversation surrounding Michigan State football.

Even a competitive performance could provide evidence that Fitzgerald has the Spartans moving in the right direction faster than expected.

Two games gave Michigan State a chance to get started.

Game No. 3 will give us a chance to find out what these Spartans really are.