The rivalry between Notre Dame and Michigan State football programs sparks historic moments. Some of the most significant games include the 1966 "Game of the Century" which ended in a 10-10 tie. Through the decades, the programs have traded dramatic plays and victories at each other's stadiums. The annual rivalry game is an important measuring stick and highlight for both teams, though they will take a break in the rivalry after this season until 2016. Current MSU quarterback Connor Cook and the Spartans see the upcoming game at Notre Dame as a major test, as it is their first true road game against a storied program.

1. sports | football
Echoes of Glory
MSU-Notre Dame rivalry sparks historic moments, thrilling plays for both schools
S
Notre Dame and MSU line up at the line of scrimmage in 2006. The game was the 40th anniversary of the “Game of the Century,” and another chapter in a
long-standing rivalry. State News File Photo
State News file photo | State News File Photo
ept. 22, 2007.
That was the day it started for Nick Hill.
On a visit to the campus of the University of Notre Dame, Hill took in a viewing of the 71st annual rivalry game between
MSU and Notre Dame.
  By Dillon Davis
September 19, 2013 11:41 pm
MSU football players plant the Spartan flag in the 50-yard line of Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind., following their 44-41 victory in overtime over the Irish
in 2005. State News File Photo
State News file photo / State News File Photo
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2. After falling behind early, then-MSU junior quarterback Brian Hoyer erupted to have the game of his life, throwing for 135 yards
and a career-best four touchdowns to lead MSU to a 31-14 victory.
Maybe it was the first quarter stretch to the endzone by wide receiver Devin Thomas or the multiple touchdowns by tight end
Kellen Davis. Maybe it was the fleet-footed running back tandem of Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick, who rushed for 227 yards on
the afternoon. Or maybe it was the wry smile of first-year head coach Mark Dantonio. Maybe.
Whatever the case, from that day, Hill was hooked.
“My first game ever getting recruited was at Notre Dame when Michigan State beat them (in 2007),” said Hill, who later committed
to the Spartans in 2009 and now is a junior running back. “I went down to Notre Dame and ironically, it was Michigan State
playing them and beat them, and here we are.
“It was destiny for me to come here.”
Now in his seventh season as the Spartans’ head coach, Dantonio leads the Spartans back to South Bend, Ind., on Saturday (3:30
p.m., NBC) to renew one of college football’s oldest and most significant rivalries.
And with the rivalry set to take a break until 2016 — the first such break between the teams since 1994 — Dantonio said the game
serves as a definitive measuring stick for the MSU football program.
“After your career is over, you say, ‘This is what happened there,’” Dantonio said. “It is a game for a guy who grew up in the
Midwest, (around) Notre Dame, you recognize Michigan State, you grew up with a lot of traditions that were involved before you
got here.”
Rivalry remembered
After a 27-year break starting in 1921, the rivalry re-emerged in 1948, where the two programs claimed eight combined national
championships leading up the famed “Game of the Century” in 1966.
With rosters featuring Notre Dame stars Jim Lynch, Nick Eddy and Terry Hanratty and MSU legends Charles “Bubba” Smith, Gene
Washington and George Webster, a 10-10 tie forever stitched the two programs together in the pages of college football history —
and they’ve played near-annually ever since.
Fast-forward to the modern era, when the programs routinely trade shots at one another for the right to hoist the coveted
Megaphone Trophy, both on the road and at MSU.
One year, it’s Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate scoring a touchdown before taking a giant swan dive into the Spartan
Marching Band.
The next, it’s MSU punter Aaron Bates finding tight end Charlie Gantt for a fake field goal-turned-touchdown pass in the notable
“Little Giants” play.
But through the back-and-forth nature of the two high-powered teams playing one another each season, there remains a mutual
respect between them.
“When I was growing up, I used to watch a lot of classic college football with (Notre Dame legends) Rocket Ishmail and Tim
Brown,” said sophomore wide receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. “I watched a couple games of them growing up. It’s a great
environment and I can’t wait to go.
“I always dreamed of playing in South Bend, so it’s going to be a great experience for me and my teammates.”
Rivalry relevance
As he prepares for the first road start of his collegiate career, sophomore quarterback Connor Cook has few places he’d rather be.
After taking the reins of MSU’s offense with 202 yards and four touchdowns in a 55-17 shellacking of Youngstown State last week,
Cook now hits the road to take on one of college football’s most winningest historical programs.
The Fighting Irish currently have the No. 56-ranked defense in the country, led by the big-bodied defensive line combination of
Louis Nix III and Stephon Tuitt, who were named to the preseason All-America team.
Although the Spartans have had concerns with the quarterback and wide receiver positions, among others, Cook said Saturday’s
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3. battle with the Fighting Irish likely will be won in the trenches.
“The offensive lineman have done a great job protecting me this year and watching film of Notre Dame, their defensive linemen are
extremely quick and extremely big,” Cook said. “This will be a test for our offensive linemen, and I have confidence in them. If I do
get pressure, I’ll run or do whatever I can to make plays.”
The game will serve as 2013’s first true test for the Spartans, who opened up with Western Michigan, South Florida and
Youngstown State.
Despite securing victories in each of the first three games, the Spartans have yet to be pushed to the brink, playing offenses ranked
No. 98, No. 120 and unranked in the FBS, respectively.
Taking the scope of the schedule and the challenges that lie ahead, defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said Notre Dame should be
a serious measuring stick for this year’s team.
“Coach Dantonio says you don’t come to Michigan State to play Youngstown State and Western Michigan, no disrespect,” Narduzzi
said. “You come here to play the Notre Dame’s and the Michigan’s and the Big Ten Conference.
“That’s what we’re here for.”
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