Notre Dame Football: Top Eight Most Unlikely Heroes in ND-Michigan State Games

There has been a special anarchy to the Notre Dame-Michigan State game, especially over the past decade and a half. Karma chooses one day a year to let its hair down in a crazed, ecstasy-fueled binge of mayhem, and it just happens to be the September Saturdays when the leprechaun meets Sparty.

Not only have the game results been consistently unpredictable, but the agents of chaos in these contests have been even more obscure. They are difficult to identify early in the game, flying under the radar only to emerge at the most critical moments in a silent thunderclap of anonymous brilliance.

Who will it be this year?

8. Notre Dame's Kyle McCarthy in 2009

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SOUTH BEND, IN - SETPEMBER 19: Kyle McCarthy #28 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is greeted by teammates including Robby Paris #82, Golden Tate #23 and John Ryan #90 after he intercepted a pass in the final minute of a game against the Michigan State Spa

Notre Dame 33-30

The Irish safety bailed out a porous Notre Dame defense with an interception on the Irish four-yard line with less than a minute to play. Michigan State marched down the field at will and had what looked to be a sure touchdown pass when quarterback Kirk Cousins overthrew a wide open Larry Capers in the end zone.

On the very next play, McCarthy picked off Cousins and the Irish escaped with a win.

7. Michigan State's Jason Teague in 2005

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SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 17: Running back Jason Teague #20 of the Michigan State Spartans rushes for a 19-yard touchdown to win the game in overtime against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 17, 2005 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indian

Michigan State 44-41

The Spartans running back spoiled Charlie Weis' home opener with a 19-yard touchdown run in overtime to clinch the victory for Michigan State. Teague was the second running option behind mobile Spartan quarterback Drew Stanton, but he made the most of his opportunities.

Teague saved the Spartans from a second-half Irish comeback and extended Michigan State's streak to five consecutive victories in Notre Dame Stadium.

6. Michigan State's Gari Scott in 1999

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26 Sep 1998: Wide receiver Gari Scott #86 of the Michigan State Spartans in action during the game against the Michigan Wolverines at the Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Spartans 29-17. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart

Michigan State 23-13

The first big fourth quarter drama in this list was provided by Spartan wide receiver Gari Scott. The game was tied at 13 midway through the fourth quarter when Scott slipped free from the Irish secondary and took a pass from quarterback Bill Burke 80 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Notre Dame would not recover, and this play would be the first of two consecutive years of late heartbreak for the Irish.

5. Michigan State's Jeff Smoker in 2000

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23 Sep 2000: Jeff Smoker #9 of the Michigan State Spartans moves to pass the ball during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish 27-21.Mandatory Credit: Tom

Michigan State 27-21

The true freshman Spartan quarterback was pushed into early duty after an injury to the Michigan State starter in a previous game. It looked more like he was going to wind up as the goat as Notre Dame capitalized on two Smoker turnovers to take a 21-20 lead late into the fourth quarter.

But Smoker redeemed himself in a big way. With less than two minutes remaining and facing a 4th-and-10, Smoker threw a perfect strike to wide receiver Herb Haygood for a 68-yard touchdown pass and the winning score.

4. Notre Dame's Terrail Lambert in 2006

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, CO - NOVEMBER 11: Terrail Lambert #20 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish moves at the snap during the game against the Air Force Falcons on November 11, 2006 at Falcon Stadium on the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Ph

Notre Dame 40-37

This game featured a monsoon, a sideline fight, a postgame slap, and a "Remember the Alamo"-esque stand. None of that included in the actual game.

For the second straight year, Irish quarterback Brady Quinn led a dramatic second-half comeback, but this time Notre Dame prevailed when cornerback Terrail Lambert gave Notre Dame the lead for good with an interception return for a touchdown.

3. Michigan State's Bill Burke in 1998

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31 Dec 1996: Quarterback Bill Burke of the Michigan State Spartans drops back to pass during the Norwest Sun Bowl game against the Stanford Cardinals in El Paso, Texas. Stanford won the game 38-0. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

Michigan State 45-23

All of the madness in the last 13 years of this series starts with Spartan quarterback Bill Burke. His status as the starter was still uncertain entering the game against the No. 10 Irish.

He quickly laid those doubts to rest, exploding for three touchdown passes, including an 86-yard connection to Plaxico Burress.

2. Notre Dame's Pat Dillingham in 2002

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SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 14: Backup quarterback Pat Dillingham #9 of Notre Dame throws the ball before the NCAA football game against Michigan at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana on September 14, 2002. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated t

Notre Dame 21-17

The ultimate unknown in this list falls to backup Irish quarterback Pat Dillingham, so unused to playing time that he occasionally forgot to put in his mouth guard (see photo). Dillingham was forced into action after the Spartans knocked starting quarterback Carlyle Holiday out of the game, and turned what was an underwhelming Irish passing game into a complete non-factor.

However, the only completion that mattered was his short dump off to receiver Arnaz Battle over the middle with just over one minute to play. Battle slipped his way through the Spartan defense, running 60 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and ultimately the win.

1. Notre Dame's Coley O'Brien in 1966

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SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 04: The 'Golden Dome' is seen on the campus of Notre Dame University before a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Purdue Boilermakers at Notre Dame Stadium on September 4, 2010 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jo

Tie 10-10

If there's going to be an unlikely hero for the Fighting Irish, of course his name would be Coley O'Brien. O'Brien found himself in a similar position as Dillingham except in a game where the stakes were much, much higher.

The Game of the Century in 1966 featured the top-ranked Irish against the No. 2 Spartans in East Lansing. Vaunted Michigan State defensive lineman Bubba Smith knocked starting Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty out of the game on a sack in the first quarter, and the responsibility fell to backup O'Brien to salvage the game.

He responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass to put Notre Dame on the board, and later led one drive for the tying field goal and another where the field goal attempt just missed. However, Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian decided not to test fate any further and settled for the tie, running out the clock in the final minute.