Tuesday, April 14, 2026

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Sports | Football

FOOTBALL

Rushing game, pass defense keys to success

Through four games, the No. 24 MSU football team has excelled in the areas considered its biggest question marks coming in, while its vaunted passing attack, which started the season slowly, finally is making strides.

FOOTBALL

Cousins beginning to find form

After Kirk Cousins started all but one game for the MSU football team last season, expectations were high for the junior quarterback heading into 2010. Three games into the new season though, it has been the MSU running game that has paced the Spartans and led them to a 3-0 start and No. 25 ranking in The Associated Press poll.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio released from hospital

Football head coach Mark Dantonio has been released from Sparrow Hospital, two days after undergoing a cardiac procedure on his heart Sunday morning, according to MSU Athletics Communications.

FOOTBALL

Penalties continue to haunt, hurt Spartans

The No. 25 MSU football team maintained discipline late in Saturday’s 34-31 overtime win against Notre Dame, but for most of the game, that discipline wasn’t there. The Spartans were flagged 11 times for 79 yards, most of which were offsides or holding infractions.

FOOTBALL

A "giant" step forward

Saturday night’s 34-31 overtime win against Notre Dame at Spartan Stadium was as improbable as it was unthinkable. Spartan fans have seen a different outcome too many times before. Nearly every year they witness their team give itself a chance to win late in an important game only to hand it all away in the final moments. Saturday night, it appeared it was about to be the same story but only a different season for MSU and its fans.

FOOTBALL

Pass defense attacked by Irish

Notre Dame’s game plan for Saturday’s game against MSU was clear: pass, pass and pass some more. The Fighting Irish attacked MSU’s secondary, which ranked last in the Big Ten last year, early and often, gaining 369 yards and allowing their athletic receivers to make plays in MSU’s 34-31 overtime win.

FOOTBALL

Prime Time

When the MSU football team takes the field Saturday night at Spartan Stadium, the implications of its game will reach much farther than the 75,000-plus in attendance.

FOOTBALL

QB Cousins ready to break out vs. Irish

With Saturday’s matchup against Notre Dame looming, MSU will look to junior quarterback Kirk Cousins to leave last year’s loss in the past and take his game to the next level. Game time is set for 8 p.m. on ABC.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio looks for Spartans to finish job

MSU football head coach Mark Dantonio wants his team to lay it on. For the second straight game Saturday, MSU executed well on its first two drives and took an early lead, but watched its opponent climb back in the game.