4 Winners, 6 Losers as Michigan State Football Falls Flat to Notre Dame

Michigan State football had their first road trip and played under the lights at Notre Dame Stadium for the first time in a decade on Saturday. The Spartans squared off against the No. 3 Fighting Irish in a rivalry renewed as massive underdogs, with some line suggesting up to a 29.5-point spread.

Ultimately, the Spartans were able to gain respect with a 27-10 loss, but this is a team and coach that does not believe in moral victories. After the game, Pat Fitzgerald made that clear. The coach is ready to get back to work in East Lansing early on Sunday morning.

Under the bright glare of the lights, who shined and who faltered?

Winners

EDGE Kenny Soares Jr.

Soares was the most impactful defensive lineman on Saturday, screaming around the field. The NC State transfer nearly got his hands on a pass, and should have had a sack on a play where CJ Carr somehow did not have a shin, elbow, or leg hit the ground.

He missed a few tackles, but he was disruptive against one of the top quarterbacks in the nation to help keep the Spartans in striking distance for a long while.

LB Jordan Hall

Welcome back to the lineup, Jordan Hall! In the first two running plays of the game, Hall got both tackles, and was at 6 tackles after only two drives.

The senior linebacker, despite the brace on his arm and discomfort that pulled him from the game once, flew around the field. He was the first man into nearly every pile, and made multiple clutch stops, including a third-down solo stop to force a missed field goal.

To put it into perspective, Hall had 12 tackles, while the second-leading Spartan (Eli Coenen) and Fighting Irish player combined for 12 tackles on the game. Hall was everywhere on Saturday.

QB Cam Fancher

Fancher has quietly impressed in his limited packages in the first three weeks. The UCF (via FAU via Marshall) transfer ran in the only Spartan touchdown of the night, and should have thrown for one too, if it was not for an untimely Kenneth Williams drop.

Fancher was the red zone quarterback, and he provided a major spark. He provided enough tape in the last two weeks for Nebraska to spend a significant amount of preparation for his packages.

The Spartans are willing to leave every stone unturned to give them the best chance of winning, and the two quarterback system is working.

WR Rod Bullard Jr.

While the receiver room struggled as a whole, Bullard was a bright spot. The second-year Spartan broke free for a massive gain and maintained the ball through the ground, setting up a Spartan score. He ended with two catches for 66 yards, which accounted for just under half the total receiving yards in the game.

Losers

RB Kenneth Williams

The Nebraska transfer and primary kick returner usually gets very little run on the offense through two games. On Saturday, he saw an extended role and had a great chance to make his case for even more playing time.

Sadly, Williams did not, dropping a critical third-down pass where he was so wide open, the referee initially called touchdown despite the clear drop. It was a huge blow to the Spartans, who had to settle for a field goal and enter halftime trailing by a touchdown.

CB Tre Bell

It was a rough day for Bell. The Iowa State transfer was burned for 61 yards to open the game, and then provided a free first down in the Spartan red zone that led to another touchdown on Saturday.

Pat Fitzgerald expressed frustration regarding corners not using their hands in press coverage, and Bell’s group falls among the area the coach spoke on.

Bell has had a rough go of things during the first quarter of the season, per PFF.

CB Charles Brantley

The hero of the 2021 Michigan vs. Michigan State game has had a rough go of things lately. One week after being a firm winner against the Eagles, Branley took a step back. The sixth-year corner had a defensive pass interference negate a Devin Vaught interception that was returned within the Irish 25.

Later, with Tyran Chappell out, Brantley again got burnt in coverage. The Spartan secondary allowed Micah Gilbert to record 170 receiving yards on Saturday, the best mark by a Notre Dame receiver in a game in 7 years.

OT Rakeem Johnson

Johnson had a rough night, with the third-year player from Idaho allowing a hit on Alessio Milivojevic during his second interception. Johnson grades quite well on the preliminary report, per PFF.

However, the situation again burns the player. Executing a block on any chance to get back in the game has to be capitalized on.

P Rhys Dakin

Yes, it was raining. Yes, Dakin had a punt blocked. However, the Australian punter did not have his brightest game in Notre Dame Stadium. The Iowa transfer saw his first punt partially blocked, dying at the Spartan 42, which set up the first Irish touchdown of the game.

Dakin had a booming punt, too. Half of his punts landed inside of the Irish 20. However, half left a bitter taste in Spartans fans’ mouths.

QB Alessio Milivojevic

Overall, the Spartan quarterback did not have a bad day against the top secondary in the country. However, between his receiving room failing to create separation (five catches among all six receivers to hit the field) and two interceptions, Milivojevic falls into the category.

Even after the game, the quarterback was ready to admit that holding onto the ball too long falls on him. The Illinois native was also stripped of the ball once. During the contest, Milivojevic saw two passes intercepted, along with two more that were near-interceptions.

It is a marked improvement from facing Penn State, a top defensive line in 2025. However, it is also a far cry from what the Milivojevic showed against Iowa later that season. It was a day where a quarterback in his seventh career start had growing pains against an elite defense. It happens.

The deciding factor for this decision to add him to the list was PFF grades. Milivojevic, during preliminary grades, ranks as the bottom Spartan. When PFF speaks, I tend to listen.