Friday, January 2, 2026

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports

SPORTS

Spartans sweep weekend pair

The offense and defense have aligned for the MSU field hockey team. Coming back from a 4-3 overtime loss against No. 3 UConn Sept. 14, the No. 6 Spartans (9-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) came back with a vengeance in Saturday’s Big Ten opener against Northwestern (3-5, 0-1) — shutting the Wildcats out 4-0.

FOOTBALL

Spartans defeat Notre Dame

Playing at a school with a lot of history, the Spartans decided to make some of their own on Saturday when they defeated Notre Dame 31-14 – handing them their first ever 0-4 start. MSU also became the first team to ever win six consecutive games at Notre Dame Stadium.

FOOTBALL

Heisman watch

Going into the fourth week of the college football season, these six candidates are the frontrunners.

FOOTBALL

Word on the street

How did you feel after last year’s football team lost to Notre Dame? The State News asked five students who attended the game.

FOOTBALL

Victory & defeat

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.

FOOTBALL

MSU welcomes first road game

MSU head coach Mark Dantonio has made it known one of the keys this season for his football team is to win the fans back. After the team’s 3-0 start, the Spartans are closer to achieving that goal, and the unified, white-clad student section has loudly voiced its support at Spartan Stadium.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Hill, Pawlak lead MSU in win

Despite it being a week since it dismantled Detroit Mercy, the MSU women’s soccer team showed no rust Wednesday afternoon. Once again using their depth and offensive firepower to their advantage, the Spartans (4-2-0) knocked off Eastern Michigan, 2-0, at Old College Field.

VOLLEYBALL

Sister, Sister: Duo lights up court

They both top out at 6 foot 1, love volleyball and share mirror images in every aspect besides hair color. But that is where the similarities end for sisters Ashley and Megan Schatzle. The sisters, who are both members of the MSU volleyball team, are admittedly as different as can be.

SPORTS

New faces join athletics

When she introduced Mark Hollis as MSU’s next athletics director on Sept. 12, MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon joked about it being the last time she wanted to stand up at an MSU sports press conference any time soon. Nobody laughed harder than men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo.

FOOTBALL

Saint-Dic scores conference honors

Senior defensive end Jonal Saint-Dic may have earned his nickname “Sackmaster” as a joke early in his MSU football career, but his play this season has been nothing to laugh at. The Big Ten Conference noticed this week when they named Saint-Dic co-defensive player of the week.

FOOTBALL

Determined defense

The Spartans know that if they’re going to gamble, they’d better at least try to cover their losses. MSU did exactly that Saturday in its 17-13 victory over Pittsburgh at Spartan Stadium.

FOOTBALL

Spartans find ways to battle adversity, win

MSU head coach Mark Dantonio has yet to hold a press conference without using a favorite quote from former MSU head coach George Perles: “They all count one.” Well, Saturday’s 17-13 victory over Pittsburgh should at least count one-and-a-half.

SPORTS

Sounding off

Imagine that you’re Baltimore Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons and you’re checking things off on your daily checklist. Get gas for expensive truck. Check. Put up a 1-for-4 performance at the plate in upcoming game. Check. Check mail for steroids. Check.