Post-Game Notes: Notre Dame
9/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
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• Michigan State defeated Notre Dame for the first time since 2010 with its 36-28 victory over the Irish in Notre Dame Stadium to reclaim the Megaphone Trophy . . . it also marked MSU's first victory at Notre Dame since 2007 . . . UND leads the all-time series, 48-29-1 . . . Michigan State ranks second among opponents in all-time victories (29) over Notre Dame; only USC (36) has posted more wins over the Irish than the Spartans . . . it marked MSU's 14th win overall at Notre Dame (14-29 record) . . . MSU head coach Mark Dantonio is now 4-4 in his Spartan tenure against Notre Dame (2-3 at Notre Dame Stadium).
• Michigan State has won 10 of its last 13 games played against ranked opponents, including six out of the last seven (wins: No. 4 Baylor, No. 7 Oregon, No. 12 Michigan, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Iowa, No. 18 Notre Dame; loss: No. 2 Alabama).
• After giving up a first-quarter touchdown, Michigan State scored 36 consecutive points in the second and third quarters to take a 36-7 lead with 3:45 left in the third.
• The Spartans controlled the line of scrimmage with a 37:57-22:03 advantage in the time of possession. MSU also ran 78 offensive plays, compared to 62 for Notre Dame.
• MSU collected 501 yards of total offense, the most against Notre Dame under Dantonio. In addition, the Spartans had 260 yards rushing, their best effort since racking up a season-high 267 rushing yards against Purdue on Oct. 3, 2015. MSU is 32-3 under Dantonio when rushing for more than 200 yards.
• The Spartans forced three Irish turnovers (two fumbles, one interception by Jon Reschke) and won the turnover battle +2 (MSU threw one interception) . . . MSU scored 15 points off of Irish turnovers.
• MSU held Notre Dame to a season-low 57 yards rushing, its lowest total since Nov. 8, 2014 vs. Arizona State (41 yards) . . . Michigan State is 72-11 under Dantonio when outrushing its opponent.
• With his third-quarter PAT, senior PK Michael Geiger became MSU's all-time leader in that category with his 165th PAT, passing Brett Swenson (2006-09) who had 164. Geiger added his 166th and 167th later in the third quarter.
• Senior QB Tyler O'Connor improved his record to 3-0 as a starter, including 2-0 on the road. It marked his second consecutive win over a ranked team on the road (No. 2 Ohio State in 2015). He recorded career highs in pass attempts (26), pass completions (19), passing yards (241) and rushing yards (43) against the Irish. O'Connor threw a 38-yard TD pass to Donnie Corley and a 10-yard pass to R.J. Shelton, both in the second quarter.
• Senior WR R.J. Shelton snared a career-high eight catches, surpassing his previous high of six accomplished twice, last done vs. Indiana (10/24/15) . . . Shelton had 80 receiving yards, including a 10-yard TD reception in the second quarter.
• Sophomore RB LJ Scott tied his career high with 22 carries (2015 Big Ten Championship Game vs. Iowa) and had 98 rushing yards . . . he scored on a 9-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter. Scott now has a rushing TD in both games this season and four of his last five games as part of nine career games with a TD in 16 career games played.
• Junior RB Gerald Holmes recorded his second career 100-yard rushing game with 100 yards on just 13 carries . . . his 73-yard scoring run in the third quarter was a career-long rush, surpassing a 43-yard run vs. Nebraska (11/7/15) . . . it also marked MSU's longest rushing TD since Nick Hill's 76-yarder at Indiana in 2014 . . . Holmes also scored on a 3-yard run earlier in the third quarter.
• Freshman Donnie Corley scored his first career touchdown on a 38-yard pass from Tyler O'Connor in the corner of the end zone . . . Corley also had a 28-yard catch late in the fourth quarter on third-and-7 from the MSU 17 on the game-sealing drive for the Spartans . . . he finished with four catches for 88 yards.
• Junior LB Jon Reschke led the team with eight tackles and forced two turnovers (fumble in the second quarter; interception in the third quarter) . . . he also had a 1-yard tackle for loss.
