Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State are gearing up for their biggest game of the young season thus far, traveling to South Bend to face No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday evening.
In the shadows of Touchdown Jesus, the Spartans will look to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the young season but it’s not looking all that likely. While the Irish are the third-best team in college football and have home-field advantage, the Spartans are in a rebuilding year and no one expects them to win this game — especially not Vegas.
With Notre Dame opening as a 29.5-point favorite, Michigan State could use all the help it could get to potentially close that monumental gap, on paper.
Well, the Irish may have just cracked the door open ever so slightly because of a handful of injuries along the offensive line that’s going to dig right into the depth in the trenches.
In fact, Notre Dame is now going to be without four reserve linemen on Saturday.
Breaking: ND OL Owen Strebig out (Concussion) for Michigan State game. He is now the fourth OL that is out for the game with an injury joining Jagusah, Augustine, and Terek.
— Bruce Straughan (@bruce_straughan) September 17, 2026
Owen Strebig was a key reserve, Charles Jagusah was on the comeback player of the year watch list at one point, Matty Augustine was fighting for the starting right guard spot before his injury over the summer, and Chris Terek has seen action in 26 games over the past two years.
That kind of reserve depth is what coaches dream about, but now Marcus Freeman will have to navigate a game against an improved Michigan State defensive line without four key pieces.
Freeman will have to hope that his guys can stay healthy and that the huge hits to the reserve pool don’t come back to bite the Irish throughout the game. It’s going to be a physical matchups and Eli Coenen and Kenny Soares Jr. are chomping at the bit after hearing this news.
Wear the starters down in the trenches and anything can happen.
Michigan State still needs a miracle
As much as it pains me to say this, Michigan State is going to need a miracle on Saturday night.
That’s not me doubting Fitzgerald but rather me acknowledging that Notre Dame really is that good and Michigan State just isn’t there yet. Fitzgerald doubled down this week and said that if he has to try and convince his players that they can win every game, they shouldn’t be here. They truly believe that they can win this game, but after watching the first two weeks, there’s just too much work that needs to be done.
It might take a monsoon (supposedly happening) and some flukey plays, but Michigan State needs to play a near-perfect game on Saturday night to even have a shot at an upset.
It is still early in the season and Notre Dame might not be completely gelled yet, so this is an opportunity for the Spartans to come out, punch the Irish in the mouth, and make a statement on a national stage. They truly have nothing to lose. That, in itself, is an advantage.
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