MSU @ ND...who ya got?!

I know history and the respective performances to date indicate it will likely be a close, even-matched, and probable Spartan victory; however, I just don't see this one being all that close. ND is a much more talented team overall and - if not for some serious bone head mistakes - would be undefeated right now. When I look at the Top-20 rankings, State looks totally out of place and over-hyped to me. Maybe it's my maize-and-blue glasses, but I think ND wins fairly convincingly and rights their season. I think (or hope!) State gets totally embarressed, simply because they honestly have some of the most assinine fans I have ever encountered. 

ND wins 42 - 17

I think people will be wondering if MSU actually played 6 guys on offense because their whole O-line will be basically non-existant. Even the bohemoth Nix will casually walk past the C and G and destroy Cousins a la Marcell Dareus.

In all seriousness, ND makes no mistakes and Sparty implodes and gets ready for another 6-6 season losing to big brother and getting their ass beat by Iowa time and time again.

ND 38

MSU 10

My opinion:

ND will be a recruiting powerhouse whether or not they win this game.  They're ND, and they'll always be a tough battle for recruits.  Same reason we still were the last few years.  Tradition.

MSU, on the other hand, can be much less of a recruiting impediment if they go back to being 6-6 every year.  If they start to get a few seasons in a row where they beat good teams, they will start to compete more for recruits.  Therefore, MSU will be hurt more, from a recruiting standpoint, by losing than ND will.  Plus, ND is already 0-2 and we already beat them. 

ND has been dragged off their high horse already.  We need the same to be done for MSU, and the sooner the better.

I would love to see ND win 52-0 but they always play close games so I will say:

ND 34

MSU 27

Think ND will win.

35-28

it's better for our team if ND wins out and we need all teams that we beat to win out.   

This is one where you just cannot be sure how good any of us are until the game is played IMO.  

I will go with ND 29 and MSU 28  

A tough call:

1. ND wins will mean:

(a) good things for our relative ranking on computer polls - probably not important since we aren't contending for the mythic NC.

(b) makes us look better for bragging rights by the commutative property: A beats B who beat C...good for around the state with your State friends and frenemies.

(c) have to listen to the insufferable Lou Holtz sputter on and on about ND...and how they can go 10-2 and make it to a Jan. 1 game...reaching a point where I have wonder who is worse: Craig James, Jesse Palmer, or Lou Holtz

(d) have to hear how we were "lucky" - but we get to use that old favorite retort "Scoreboard, look at the scoreboard 35-31"

2. MSU wins will mean:

(a) the nation of the deluded may actually finally realize that beating ND is no longer national news, and the Ara Parseghian is no longer the head coach, and that Bob Davie may not have been the devil incarnate and that Tyrone Willingham may not have been the worst hire at South Bend and that many mistakes have been made...something most people have already realized long ago.

(b) we'd have to listen to how the "little brother isn't little any more" - after three years, gotten used to it.

(c) we'd have to worry about MSU actually becoming established. They've always had good teams here and there but could never consolidate their gains. A good year would be followed by a 6-6 year ...a legitimate worry. If Brady Hoke can beat MSU and reverse the trend that would be a bigger win in long term importance than beating ND - not as exciting or fun or entertaining but probably more strategically important.

(d) another indirect sign about worries about our running game. Outside of the almighty and powerful DR, there wasn't much of a running game. If MSU gashes ND on the ground, it suggests we have to wait a while before Hoke's power running game appears...He has at least 3 years to get this going. It is just sad that we can't get a complement to DR. Not a Heisman trophy candidate back, just someone who can go for 500-750 yards would be terrific at this point.

I want Notre Dame to win.  Big.  42-10

ND has 4 turn overs  and loses 

State: 31

ND: 14

ND needs it more and thus, will blow it. MSU 27, ND 20

ND finds a way in a close game to pull it out. Sparty give it their all

We need ND to go undefeated the rest of the year (please). So I will pick ND to win 35-31.

Ill take Sparty with the points.

therefore ND wins by two TD's.

It's a no lose bet.  If ND beats them by 6+ I still win the ability to talk a little smack to the Spartan's in my office.

For Michigan's win over ND to mean anything we need ND to win.  I really dislike both teams and would root for both to lose if that was possible.  However, I will be rooting for ND to win.  I think they can't screw up three weeks in a row.

Notre Dame 34

Michigan St 27

ND 35 - Moo U 21

MSU has only gained 347 yards on 86 carries with a long of 23. Given the level of competition they've played in the first 2 weeks, it doesn't look promising going into Notre Dame.  If they can't establish the run game, this won't be close.  Kirk Cousins will have to play outstanding to keep them in this game. I don't see it happening.  The MSU Defense didn't record a sack vs. a Youngstown State team that threw 35 times.  Rees has made some mistakes, but if they don't pressure him, they're in trouble. 

I personally think the only thing MSU has going for them is ND's tendency to shoot themselves in the foot.  I'm not saying that WON'T happen. I just don't think it will.