MSU football players plant the Spartan flag in the 50-yard line of Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 17, 2005 in South Bend, Ind., following their 44-41 victory in overtime over the Fighting Irish.
Four weeks into the 2006 season, the MSU football team imploded. With a 16-point lead at the end of the third quarter, the Spartans thought they had it in the bag, but the rain storm grew stronger, and so did the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame scored 19 unanswered points, beating MSU 40-37. The MSU players and coaches walked off the field soaked in rain and sweat.
It was a loss the team just couldn’t dry off.
A storm cloud loomed over them for the rest of the season, and they lost seven of their next eight games en route to the cellar of the Big Ten.
John L. Smith would lose his job, and the team would lose its respect.
“Last year it hurt, and you remember that,” senior linebacker Kaleb Thornhill said. “It hits you in the heart, but obviously it’s a new year and we have new coaches and everything so it’s kind of washed away, you know, that’s in the past.”
Like last year, MSU heads into its matchup with Notre Dame on Saturday undefeated at 3-0. On the other hand, the Fighting Irish, who were ranked No. 12 when they faced MSU last year, have yet to win a game or even score an offensive touchdown.
“They’re backed into a corner right now, they’re going to come out swinging with everything that they have,” senior running back Jehuu Caulcrick said. “We’ve been there before, so we know what it’s like.”
Other than their dismal record, Notre Dame has another reason to have a chip on their shoulder — if MSU wins Saturday, they will be the first team to ever win six consecutive games at Notre Dame Stadium. And it would be the first 0-4 start in school history.
“Everyone wants to point toward Notre Dame and say it’s a big game for them,” head coach Mark Dantonio said.
“This is a big game for us, too. A lot of our guys felt like they should have won that game last year.”
Caulcrick was reluctant to comment on last year’s loss, but he said every time he sees a highlight from that game, he gets a sick feeling in his stomach.
As a fifth-year senior, Caulcrick has seen the ups and downs of the rivalry.
He was there for the overtime victory in 2005 when players planted the MSU flag on the 50-yard line in South Bend, Ind., and he played a big role in last season’s game — rushing for 111 yards and one touchdown on eight carries.
“Definitely there’s bad blood with us,” Caulcrick said. “It wouldn’t be a rivalry if you didn’t dislike each other or hate each other. I’m not going to go out there and be laughing and smiling, shaking their hands. I’m going to go out there and play football.”
Junior quarterback Brian Hoyer likened the MSU and Notre Dame matchup to that of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees.
“I think when you get in that kind of tough rivalry, there’s going to be some heated situations,” Hoyer said.
Hoyer will be on the hot seat Saturday, and his ability to stay cool with 80,000 angry Fighting Irish fans screaming at him will be put to the test.
A win could be a big leap toward regaining the respect of the Spartans faithful — something Dantonio vowed to accomplish as the new head coach.
“After the Notre Dame game last year, the bottom just kind of fell out, you know, with the fans too,” Hoyer said.
“So I think this is a big game for that kind of goal to be accomplished.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
