Spartans Smash Irish 34-14

EAST LANSING - Michigan State smashed Notre Dame with a powerful 1-2 run attack behind 145 yards by Javon Ringer and 83 yards by Jehuu Caulcrick to beat Notre Dame for the sixth straight time in South Bend.

Notre Dame took a brief 7-0 lead when Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer fumbled the snap deep in MSU territory leading to a 1-yard run by Travis Thomas.

However, the Spartans answered quickly when Brian Hoyer hit Devin Thomas for 7-yards out to finish an 8-play, 67-yard drive. The Spartans took a lead they would never reliquish when Hoyer hit Kellen Davis 3-yard touchdown pass to finish 5-play, 45-yard drive to go ahead 14-7.

Brett Swenson's 27-yard field goal upped the State lead to 17-7, but Robert Hughes finished Notre Dame's first real touchdown drive of the season, to cut the MSU lead to 17-14 at the half.

It was all MSU from that point forward. Facing 3rd and 16, Hoyer hit Mark Dell in the end zone between three defenders to put MSU up 24-14. Hoyer connected on his third TD of the game against two turnovers (1 interception, 1 fumble), hitting Davis on a 4th-and-2 between two defenders. Davis dove into the end zone to put the Spartans up 31-14.

MSU (4-0) then put the game on cruise control with their punishing run game. Interestingly, MSU did not pull starting quarterback Brian Hoyer and had running backs Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick in late right up until the end of the ball game.

MSU next travels to Madison, WI to face the Wisconsin Badgers in their Big Ten opener.

GSN will have reporters Pavel Kofman and Joe Torok in the postgame locker room to get quotes from coordinators Don Treadwell and Pat Narduzzi along with head coach Mark Dantonio and selected MSU player immediately following the contest.

This free story is just an example of the great content you'll receive everyday when you become a GSN insider. Why not sign up for a free 7-day trial right now?