The Spartans had battled back from a daunting deficit, the result of too many turnovers, and found themselves on the verge of creating another classic chapter in their rivalry with Notre Dame.
But the flood of giveaways that had plagued MSU would not relent. The Spartans (1-2) were only one yard from the end zone - and one yard from making a comeback win plausible - when redshirt freshman running back Jehuu Caulcrick lost the football while diving for the end zone with about eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Notre Dame (2-1) recovered the ball in the end zone and held on for a 31-24 win against MSU on Saturday night at Spartan Stadium. It was only the second time Notre Dame has beaten MSU in the last eight contests.
"We are going to be sick after we look at (game film) because the opportunities were there," MSU head coach John L. Smith said. "The turnover ratio wins you ball games."
The Spartans committed a total of six turnovers against the Irish, three interceptions (all thrown by redshirt freshman Stephen Reaves) and three lost fumbles.
Attempting to distinguish which of MSU's turnovers were most costly serves no purpose after the fact, but the team certainly missed a chance to seize the game's momentum and put the Irish on their heels when Caulcrick fumbled.
"It hurts when you let your team down like that," he said. "I just tried to stretch it out and I thought I was in. Looking back on it, I should have tucked it in, but it's easy to say that now."
After the game, Caulcrick insisted he put the fumble behind him and will run with confidence the next time he takes the field. Smith called on Caulcrick to be MSU's primary ball carrier Saturday after junior running back Jason Teague had his own problems holding on to the ball.
On Teague's sixth and final carry, Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski stripped him of the ball in the first quarter and ran it 75 yards for the Irish's second touchdown.
"Our defense has done a great job in all three ball games of keeping us in the position to win the football game," Notre Dame head coach Tyrone Willingham said.
It was a disappointing loss for the Spartans in a game that began with promise. The Spartans took an early 7-0 lead when senior linebacker Marshall Campbell blocked a Notre Dame punt into the end zone, where sophomore receiver Jerramy Scott recovered the football for a touchdown.
But the Spartans' offense was held scoreless in the first half. Reaves struggled in his second career college start, completing 7-of-20 passes for 66 yards and three interceptions. He was pulled at halftime in favor of sophomore Drew Stanton.
"If you have a lot of turnovers, then they're going to have to make a change and that's what they told me at halftime," Reaves said.
The quarterback change did little to inspire MSU at the start of the second half. Midway through the third quarter, it seemed the Spartans were headed toward certain defeat. A 75-yard drive ended with running back Ryan Grant's six-yard touchdown run, extending their lead to 28-7.
The Spartans then got a big boost from senior running back DeAndra Cobb, who returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. Cobb's return rejuvenated MSU's defense, which forced Notre Dame to punt on its next possession. The Spartans added a Dave Rayner field goal, before driving down to Notre Dame's 1-yard line, where Caulcrick fumbled.
The Spartans get a clean slate next week at Indiana (2-1).
"We played hard, but we just came up short," senior linebacker Ronald Stanley said. "We couldn't get it done, but we've got to put it behind us."
