Alessio Milivojevic threw two touchdown passes without an interception, and Cam Fancher completed all six of his throws in Michigan State's 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan. Pat Fitzgerald described Fancher as a planned offensive weapon, with Milivojevic remaining the starter. Fans can welcome Fancher's appearances as another way to move the ball without treating each one as a change at quarterback.
Michigan State visits No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday, September 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Fan Watch gives Michigan State a 3% chance to win. An upset would be an enormous accomplishment; a loss alone would say little about whether the Spartans can compete in the more attainable games ahead.
Cam Edwards supplied 152 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries against Eastern. Michigan State finished five of its nine possessions with touchdowns, after settling for four consecutive field goals following its opening touchdown against Toledo. Notre Dame has allowed just 65.5 rushing yards per game through two games. Watch whether Michigan State's blockers can give Edwards enough room to keep second and third down manageable. That would let the quarterbacks work with options instead of repeatedly having to rescue possessions through the air.
There is a familiar prize attached to this unlikely upset bid. The schools are playing for the first time since 2017, renewing a series that has awarded the Megaphone Trophy since 1949. Getting that trophy back into the weekly conversation is welcome; bringing it home would make this September memorable.
Michigan State earned its second win by answering Eastern's 13-play touchdown drive before halftime with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown possession to open the third quarter. Charles Brantley then forced and recovered Harold Mack's fumble, and Milivojevic hit Charles Taplin for a touchdown three plays later. The Spartans created separation through both sustained offense and a quick conversion of a takeaway. After three consecutive losing, bowl-less seasons, those two wins matter toward a return to the postseason. Saturday need not decide that pursuit.
The defense still has work to do before halftime. Fitzgerald criticized its second-quarter gap fits, block shedding and tackling against Eastern; Brady Pretzlaff credited Joe Rossi's adjustments and a more physical third-quarter response. Against Notre Dame, root for defenders to handle those assignments from the opening possession, before a correction becomes necessary.
The interactive guide and methodology have the forecasts behind the matchup.
With Jordan Hall not cleared for the Eastern game, Pretzlaff wore the defensive communication helmet throughout it. Fitzgerald attributed communication lapses to defenders failing to talk, without automatically blaming the helmet change. Whoever handles the calls Saturday, the other defenders have to relay them and get aligned together.