Michigan State @ Notre Dame preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2013 ) Michigan State 13, Notre Dame 17

Notre Dame might have the toughest first-month schedule of any contender for the College Football Playoff, and it is still looking for a signature win. The 18th-ranked Fighting Irish will try to earn a signature victory when they host well-rested No. 8 Michigan State on Saturday night.

Notre Dame opened the season with a double-overtime loss at Texas but declared DeShone Kizer starting quarterback for Week 2 and rolled past Nevada to even its record. "Two things came out of this year so far is that it's a group that's resilient, that will battle, and, two, that understands how to prepare for games," Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly told reporters of his team. "Now, I think the next step for this team is to play in all phases of the game at a higher level, and we're going to get that this week against a very good Michigan State football team." The Spartans have had two weeks to prepare for Notre Dame due to an early bye in Week 2. "The biggest thing for us was to make sure that we came out of last week as if we had played a game," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio told reporters. "That to me was very important but yet stay healthy. In other words, maintain your conditioning level that we had after getting ready for four weeks for our first football game."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -7.5

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (1-0): The Spartans had more trouble than expected in Week 1 as the offense was inconsistent with senior Tyler O'Connor taking over at quarterback after spending three years backing up Connor Cook. "We've been working, and we had a tough bye week," O'Connor told reporters. "We had our toughest bye week that we've had since we've been here over the past two years and rightfully so. We need it early in the season and also a big-time opponent." O'Connor, who threw three touchdown passes in the win over Furman, started against a ranked team at Ohio State last season in place of an injured Cook and managed 89 passing yards in a 17-14 win.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-1): Kizer was named the full-time starter over Malik Zaire after throwing five touchdown passes in the narrow loss to Texas and cemented his position with another solid performance against Nevada. "Look, if you've got a really good quarterback you've got a chance, and he's a really good quarterback," Kelly told reporters of Kizer. "He knows the offense, you know. ... He knows what he's doing. He knows how to do it and he's working to get better at it every single day. He gives you a shot at winning every game you play." Kizer completed 15-of-18 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 2 win and added a rushing score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Notre Dame has taken three straight in the 77-meeting rivalry, which dates back to 1897.

2. Michigan State has won nine of its last 12 games against ranked opponents.

3. Fighting Irish CB Shaun Crawford (torn Achilles) will miss the rest of the season.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 24, Notre Dame 17