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lock some runs in there and get after it," Kelly said. "But clearly we are going to have to play better up front against Big Ten opposition and in particular, Michigan State. "Our guys are capable. We still feel like we have a very, very good group. We did get beat on some individual moves … I know [offensive line] Coach [Harry] Hi- estand believes that that group together can get the job done at a high level for us." Conversely, the Irish defense once again controlled the front — even with injured fifth-year senior Kapron Lewis-Moore (strained calf) — while limiting Purdue to 90 yards on the ground. A CHANGE OF SCHEDULE Ever since Notre Dame and Michigan renewed their rivalry in 1978 — ex- cept for respites in 1983-84, 1995-96 and 2000-01 — the Irish have played the Wolverines almost every year the week before taking on Michigan State. Consequently, the Spartans always ✦ TOP STORYLINES: NOTRE DAME VS. MICHIGAN STATE Baker has moved on to the pros, but Bell thrust himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation by opening the season with 44 carries for 210 yards in a 17-13 slugfest victory versus Boise State Aug. 31. It was vintage Michigan State: stout on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and imposing its physical will on the opponent in the fourth quarter. That's the template Kelly envisions oc- curring at Notre Dame. In 2012, the Irish probably will not con- were deemed as a dangerous ambush opponent on the schedule because of what was labeled the "letdown factor" the week after the Michigan game. It's been that way every year on the Irish slate since 2002 — until now. For the first time since 1997, Bob ule prove beneficial to Notre Dame? A sweep by Notre Dame this year the way it was swept in 1997 would even it out. Davie's first year as the Notre Dame coach, Michigan State precedes Michi- gan on the Irish docket. In 1997, Notre Dame lost at home to head coach Nick Saban's No. 7-ranked Spartans, 23-7, before traveling to Ann Arbor and fall- ing to the Wolverines (21-14), who would share the national title that sea- son with Nebraska. Will this tweak to the 2012 sched- front a more physical, experienced unit on both sides of the line than the Spartans. With Golson scheduled to make his first "true" road start in a hostile on-campus venue, a seasoned offensive line and a plethora of running backs (including the return of suspended 1,000-yard rusher Cierre Wood), the Notre Dame ground attack will have to be up the challenge against a veteran Spartans defensive unit that finished No. 6 nationally in total de- fense last year, including yielding only 100.5 yards rushing per game (114 by the Irish). On defense, Notre Dame has surren- dered more than 200 yards rushing to MSU on each of its last three trips to Spar- tan Stadium. That type of production by Michigan State again likely will result in defeat for the Irish. "If Michigan State can exert their will on both fronts, the offensive line and de- fensive line, I think we probably know how that game's going to go," Kelly said. "We feel like we have to be able to exert our same kind of presence on both sides of the ball." Since the start of the 2005 season, Notre — Lou Somogyi Dame is 34-2 (.944) in games where it out- rushed its opponent. Both losses occurred last year during fourth quarter comebacks by Michigan and Florida State, the latter in the Champs Sports Bowl. Head coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans are looking to avoid losing to the Irish in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1993 and '94. record by Notre Dame versus one oppo- nent. The Irish posted a convincing 31-13 victory over Michigan State last year, but has not defeated the Spartans in back-to- back seasons since 1993 (36-14) and 1994 (21-20). Since 1994, the Spartans are the lone regular on the Irish schedule — Navy, Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, USC, Pitt, Boston College and Stanford — that Notre Dame has failed to defeat in con- secutive seasons. HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE AGAIN? In the seven seasons from 2001-07, one of the most unusual feats in a college ri- valry occurred. All seven times, the victor in the Notre Dame-Michigan State series was the visiting team. Michigan State won at Notre Dame all four times during that span, with the most thrilling contest occurring in 2005, a 44-41 overtime victory by the unranked Spartans against the No. 10 Irish while overcoming 487 passing yards by quarter- back Brady Quinn. Meanwhile, Michigan State alumnus and former quarterback Tyrone Willing- ham was 2-0 for Notre Dame in Spartan Stadium, with the 21-17 victory in his first season at Notre Dame (2002) improving the Irish to a 4-0 start and prompting the Sports Illustrated cover headline, "What A Difference A Coach Makes." In 2006, Quinn and his cohorts staged PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE TWO IN A ROW? In the 12 meetings between these two programs from 2000-11, nine were de- cided by seven points or less. This in- cluded seven straight from 2000-06, a ✦ PAGE 7 another dramatic rally, just like a year earlier, but this time they came out on top with 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Michigan State finally ended the "home- field disadvantage" in 2008 with a 23-7 victory in East Lansing, and each program has held serve at home since then. Now would be a good a year as any for the Irish to end that four-game streak. ✦

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