Michigan State running back Cam Edwards entered Saturday’s game with 250 rushing yards on the season and an average of 5.2 yards per carry.
The Spartans as a team arrived at Notre Dame Stadium averaging 4.3 yards per rush.
Notre Dame’s defense sent a strong statement in the 27-10 win, holding Edwards to just 38 rushing yards and Michigan State to 1.6 yards per carry.
“We're a defense that wants to stop the run,” stated Notre Dame captain Drayk Bowen. “We pride ourselves on that. The D-line pulling their guys, taking on double teams, using their hands, fighting off blocks. The linebackers being able to fit. You've got the safeties, corners in the fit. Everybody makes sure that they understand what is asked of them that week in the run game.”
Chris Ash’s defense also excelled against the pass.
Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic finished 9-of-17 for 123 yards and two interceptions, as the Irish won the turnover battle 2-0.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman will take that kind of performance every weekend.
“If we keep winning the turnover margin, we're going to have a chance to be really good,” explained Freeman. “I don't want to take for granted some of the things they've been doing well that they continue to do well because you're doing them well against different looks, different opponents.”
Senior safety Luke Talich set the tone early with a first quarter interception, and it was a play Notre Dame’s defense had prepared for all week.
“It's just a testament to the work throughout the week,” said captain Adon Shuler. “The coaches told us the quarterback likes a certain guy and going down like that, he's going to target him.
“Luke was in the post and he grabbed the quarterback's eye and went up and made a huge play.”
Forcing turnovers has been emphasized all season, and Bowen doesn’t believe the Irish are going to ease up on that approach.
“We want to take the ball away,” stated Bowen. “We want to be at least +2 in every game. It's intentional work in practice making sure that we're seeing the ball, whether it's a punch out or if we've got a chance to go intercept it, go intercept it. Those little things that you do in practice, they carry over into the game.”
Michigan State had hung around throughout the night, but the Irish put the stamp on the game early in the fourth quarter.
Notre Dame came up with two huge sacks to force a Michigan State punt and end any momentum the Spartans had built.
“Every drive is critical, but that one at that moment was most important” Shuler said. “We talked through it on the sideline about how this drive we have to change the game and the d-line got home. They were able to make sacks. The linebackers did their job, making sure the guys are communicating and DBs sticking on their guys.”
The performance was another positive step for a Notre Dame defense that has shown improvement through three games.
But Shuler will be the first to say the Irish haven’t arrived.
“Fast, physical, violent, disciplined,” said Shuler. “We got a lot more weeks to go. We have to continue to put that on the resume. We have lots of ways to improve. We're going to go back to the drawing board and we're just trying to get better.”
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