Michigan State Football: 10 most painful losses of Mark Dantonio era

1. Controversy at Notre Dame prevents national title season (2013)

This one actually hurts to even talk about.

Many believe that this was the closest Mark Dantonio has ever been to a national title, and the Spartans didn’t even truly get a shot.

Michigan State entered the game with a 3-0 record and finally found its quarterback in Connor Cook. He was tasked with taking down a tough Notre Dame team in South Bend in his second game of extended playing time and he actually struggled, passing for just 135 yards.

Still, Michigan State remained in the game and was about even with the Fighting Irish all game — but there was a reason for that. Michigan State’s defense was stingy, but the officiating was questionable, calling multiple phantom pass interferences against the Spartan defense which, in slow motion, were just good plays on the ball.

Notre Dame got into good field position for a number of these yet still managed just 17 points, but Michigan State’s offense wasn’t moving the ball.

You could argue that Michigan State would have been in the national title game if not for those phantom interference calls, and that year was winnable with either Oregon or Auburn as the opponent. I guess we’ll never know what truly would have happened if Michigan State won.