The upcoming night game against Notre Dame is inspiring many emotions in the MSU football team. Players comment on the excitement and energy they’re feeling as the game approaches, and also on their injured teammate Josh Rouse as he prepares to walk on the field as a fourth captain this weekend.
MSU senior tight end Charlie Gantt is not a stranger to the rivalry between the Spartans and Notre Dame.
As a fifth-year player, Gantt has been part of two victories over the Fighting Irish. But he also remembers the sting of losing a second-half lead and eventually the game against Notre Dame in 2006.
And although the game against Notre Dame doesn’t get as much recognition as the Spartans’ annual matchup with Michigan, Gantt knows more than anyone that the battle for the Megaphone Trophy ranks right at the top as far as rivalries go.
“I would put it right up there with Michigan,” Gantt said. “This is one of those emotional games you’ll never forget, coming out here and practicing, it’s just real emotional thinking about it all week.”
Saturday, the 112-year-old rivalry will be renewed for the 74th time when MSU (2-0) and the Fighting Irish (1-1) take the field at Spartan Stadium (8 p.m. ABC).
This season, MSU will be facing a new-look Notre Dame team, as Dantonio’s replacement at Cincinnati, Brian Kelly, now is in his first year with the Fighting Irish.
Also adjusting to a new role, first-year starting quarterback Dayne Crist leads Kelly’s no-huddle spread offense. Centered on a vertical passing game mixed with run, Notre Dame’s most dangerous offensive weapons are receiver Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph.
Rudolph leads the Fighting Irish with 207 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Dantonio said he considers Floyd one of the premier receivers in the country.
MSU senior linebacker Greg Jones, who said before the season he wants to improve against the pass, is excited for the challenge Notre Dame presents. But with so much going on in the little amount of time between plays, he said his priority Saturday will be orchestrating the defense.
“My job out there is to get the call to everybody and make sure everyone is set and ready to go,” Jones said. “They’re snapping the ball pretty fast so we have to be ready for that.”
While the Spartans are concerned facing the spread, Kelly, whose Fighting Irish fell 28-24 to U-M last week, said he has his own concerns about MSU’s running game.
“Again, this is a balanced Big Ten offense, very physical up front,” Kelly said at his weekly press conference. “They have a great rushing attack with three backs that have all shown their capabilities in running the football.”
With 22 tackles through two games, linebacker Manti Te’o will be Notre Dame’s biggest defense against the trio of freshman running back Le’Veon Bell and sophomore running backs Edwin Baker and Larry Caper, who Dantonio said should play for the first time this season Saturday after sitting out the first two games with a right hand injury.
So as Gantt and the Spartans prepare to take on the Fighting Irish, the fifth-year senior said it has hard for him to believe it’s the last time he will participate in the rivalry. But with this being his last shot against Notre Dame, Gantt said he is going to enjoy everything about the experience.
“I’ve been thinking about it all week,” Gantt said. “I can’t believe it’s my last year, I’m just going to have all the fun I can have out there.”
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