Notre Dame, Sparty's Got Your Number !

The Notre Dame vs. Michigan State rivalry is one of epic proportions. It is  deep rooted in tradition, and arguably one of the biggest rivalries in college football. In 1966, The Michigan State vs Notre Dame game was dubbed " The Game of the Century". Although that title has been used for several contests, at the time, that WAS the biggest college football game ever. The Spartans entered that game undefeated (9-0), and ranked no. 2 in the nation. The Irish were also unbeaten (8-0), and held the top ranking. The game ended in a tie, 10 - 10, and both schools shared the National Championship.

Now, it's 2009. The Spartans (1-1) just came off a heart breaking, some would call shocking, loss to the Chippewas of Central Michigan, 29-27. Notre Dame (1-1) battled it out with Michigan last Saturday, but in the end, it would be the Wolverines that emerged victorious, 38-34.

Both teams are looking for a win to regain confidence. Spartan and Irish fans alike, could not think of a better team to get it against, each other.

The Irish are touting a quarterback with national prominence in Jimmy Clausen. The Spartans are without Javon " The Touchdown Machine " Ringer this year, but still have a high powered, pass oriented offense. Blair White is steadily stepping onto the scene as one of the premier receivers in the Big Ten.  With both squads blood thirsty, and in need of a pick me up, this promises to be a doozy. Two great offenses will collide in South Bend, Indiana, this Saturday... but only one will leave the victor.

History plays a big part in sports, especially in college football. Schools with deep seeded rivalries, like this one,  often look to the record books for predictions. This match up is no different. To the Michigan State faithful, this contest is just about as important as the MSU/U of M game. State bragging rights aren't on the line, but historical dominance is.

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame lead the All Time series, 45-33-5. Sparty has closed the gap of late, winning 7 out of the last 10 contests since 1999.

Here's another fact : Michigan State is 5-0 against the Irish in South Bend since 1999. The Spartans will play Notre Dame in South Bend this Saturday.

This rivalry has been especially entertaining within the last decade. Who can forget the infamous (to Spartan fans) game in 2006 ? Sparty was up by two touchdowns in the 4th quarter with minutes to go. Rain poured down heavily as the Spartans struggled to maintain their lead.  Had they kept the ball on the ground and chewed up the clock, they'd have won. Instead, they elected to go to the air, and Notre Dame mounted a great comeback to win, 40-37. 2005's overtime thriller was no exception. This time it was Michigan State's last minute heroics that sent the game into overtime. MSU pulled it out, 44-41.

Since 1999, every game has been close. Michigan State handled the Irish last year, 23-7, to win by 16. 17 points has been the largest margin of victory in this match up over the last 10 contests, and that came in 2007. MSU won 31-14. Typically a lower scoring affair, the margin of victory has been less than a touchdown. 

Whether you're a Spartan fan, or a Notre Dame fan, this weekend's game is a big one. If history prevails, look for a slim Spartan victory. The Spartans have owned Notre Dame in South Bend of late, and would like to keep it that way. Notre Dame was extremely competitive against Michigan last weekend, and are looking to reverse the "curse" of home defeats against Michigan State. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. in South Bend, may the best team win.

My Predicition : MSU 31, ND 27.