It was a half to forget for the No. 10 MSU football team (2-0), as the Spartans trail No. 20 Notre Dame (2-0) 14-3 at the end of the first half.
Notre Dame got on the scoreboard first, with sophomore quarterback Everett Golson finding senior receiver John Goodman for a 36-yard touchdown pass on the Fighting Irish’s second drive of the game. The score was set up by a three-and-out by the MSU offense to open the game, and a 37-yard punt by sophomore punter Mike Sadler that gave the Fighting Irish the ball at the Notre Dame 49-yard line.
The Spartans attempted to respond on the following drive, travelling 49 yards on 10 plays, but senior kicker Dan Conroy was unable to connect on a 44-yard field goal, preserving Notre Dame’s seven-point lead.
After MSU was unable to move the football on its opening drive of the second quarter, Notre Dame capitalized, with Golson capping off a 5-play, 51 yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown run to put the Fighting Irish ahead 14-0. Notre Dame was able to get into the Spartans red zone after sophomore running back George Atkinson III broke free for a 32-yard run.
Trailing by two touchdowns, the Spartans offense finally kicked into gear.
MSU followed Notre Dame’s touchdown with a 13-play drive spanning 7:07, but after junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell was sacked on second down, the Spartans were unable to convert a third and long. But this time Conroy was able to put MSU on the scoreboard, with a 50-yard field goal that brought the Spartans within 14-3.
Maxwell completed 10-of-18 passes in the first half for 74 yards, with Keith Mumphery working as Maxwell’s favorite target.
The sophomore receiver caught three passes for 33 yards, and junior running back Le’Veon Bell added 64 rushing yards on 15 carries.
Golson led the Fighting Irish, completing 7-of-19 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown, and ran for Notre Dame’s second touchdown.
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