Saturday night will mark the 80th time the Spartans and Irish have faced off against each other.
This weekend's game is the first of three 7:30 PM ET kickoffs at Notre Dame Stadium this season (MSU, MIAMI and SMU)
The 79 meetings against Michigan State is the fourth-most prolific series in Irish football history.
The Irish hold a 49-29-1 advantage in the series against the Spartans. The programs first met in 1887 – a 34-6 Irish victory.
Since 1949, the winner of each installment of the rivalry earns the Megaphone Trophy, which the Irish currently hold after a 38-18 win in East Lansing in 2017.
The Detroit alumni clubs of both schools jointly sponsor the Megaphone Trophy. The megaphone is split, with one half decorated in blue with a gold Notre Dame monogram and the other half in green with Michigan State's block "S". All previous game scores are listed down the middle of the trophy in white on a bright red background.
The last 64 meetings between the Irish and Spartans have featured at least one Associated Press ranked team.
The Megaphone Trophy Rivalry is a highly competitive series that includes the legendary 10-10 tie when top-ranked Michigan State and second-ranked Notre Dame met in East Lansing during the 1966 season.
Notre Dame holds a 320-170-22 all-time record against Big Ten opponents.
The Irish are 8-3 against Big Ten opponents under Dick Corbett Head Coach Marcus Freeman. Notre Dame’s most recent Big Ten matchup came just two weeks ago in Week 1, a 41-13 Shamrock Series victory against Wisconsin.
CJ Carr is 3-0 as a starting quarterback against Big Ten Opponents (W, Purdue, 56-30, 2025, W, USC, 34-24, 2025, W, Wisconsin 41-13, 2026.)
Michigan State Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Max Bullough returned to his alma mater after spending three seasons on the Notre Dame coaching staff.
Former Notre Dame receiver KK Smith transferred to Michigan State at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
NOTRE DAME STADIUM NOTES
Notre Dame Stadium has been the home of Irish football since 1930. The Irish are in their 98th season at Notre Dame Stadium in 2026.
Notre Dame holds a 535-133-13 record at home all time.
Seating capacity is listed as 77,622 while the playing surface is artificial field turf.
All seven home games of the 2025 season were sold out: the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th sell-outs of the Marcus Freeman era. The last 21 games in a row, dating back to the start of the 2023 season, have been sold out. Michigan State has already been announced as sold out, with another capacity crowd expected this Saturday night.
