It’s amazing to look back and see that Notre Dame started 4-2 in 2005 and that felt like a breakthrough which led to Charlie Weis’ 10-year extension completed a mere 56 days after his first game in South Bend with the team not even in the Top 10 when it was signed.

That may be difficult to understand for someone who didn’t witness everything in the moment.

Also not making a lot of  sense was Notre Dame’s loss to Michigan State in the home opener of the Weis era, a game remembered for stretching into overtime, lasting 4 hours and 15 minutes from the start of the broadcast, and especially memorable for the Spartans flag planting in the post-game hysteria that ensued.

Michigan State were in their 3rd season under head coach John L. Smith who arrived from Louisville and after a promising 2003 had the Spartans back-sliding to 5-7 the prior year with several close losses, including a triple overtime defeat to Michigan.

To start 2005, the Spartans blew out Kent State and Hawaii behind the budding passing game of redshirt junior and 2nd-year starting quarterback Drew Stanton.

Of course, many remember Notre Dame coming off an emotional 17-10 win over then No. 3 Michigan in the Big House, shooting up the rankings to No. 10 in the AP Poll prior to the Spartans’ visit to South Bend. Beware, a let down game!

1st Quarter

The game didn’t open in a way that would suggest the fireworks to come. Each side lost yardage on their opening drives and punted. Then, it took just 3 completions from Stanton for MSU to take a quick 7-0 lead. Notre Dame responded with a 13-play touchdown drive that ate up nearly 6 and a half minutes to tie it up but Michigan State fired back with their own 7-play drive to regain the lead following Stanton’s 2nd touchdown pass.

On Notre Dame’s next drive a trio of Brady Quinn passes went nowhere and the Irish punted.

2nd Quarter

D.J. Fitzpatrick’s punt only traveled 10 yards though, and the Spartans were set up at the ND 42-yard line to begin their drive. Things didn’t go anywhere until safety Chinedum Ndukwe intercepted Stanton after attempting to go for it on 4th & 3 from the Irish 35-yard line.

Notre Dame grabbed back some momentum but their drive stalled, leading to a 48-yard field goal from Fitzpatrick to close the gap to 14-10 Spartans. However, MSU fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and 3 plays later Quinn found receiver Jeff Samardzija for a 31-yard touchdown.

17-14, Notre Dame leads.

Aided by an unsportsmanlike penalty, MSU drove down the field but the Irish defense stiffened in the red zone to force a field goal. Tied up again.

The team’s exchanged punts thereafter before Notre Dame connected on a couple passes but Fitzpatrick missed a 48-yard field goal. With just over a minute remaining in the half, Stanton completed a 45-yard pass and ran it in 2 plays later. Notre Dame somehow had a chance at a field goal to end the half but had no timeouts to stop the clock following a 33-yard completion to Matt Shelton.

3rd Quarter

On the 2nd play of the 3rd quarter, Quinn’s pass was a little behind Samardzija, popped into the air, and taken back for a touchdown by Michigan State. Now 31-17 and the Irish were in trouble.

Chyron curse.

Ten plays later, Notre Dame had the ball at MSU’s goal line but a reaching attempt from fullback Asaph Schwapp (RIP) caused the ball to be poked free and recovered by the visitors. After exchanged punts, Michigan State ran a tunnel screen that went for 65 yards to the house, now Notre Dame trailed 38-17 with 20 minutes to go.

The Irish moved quickly and scored a touchdown 9 plays later and cut the lead to 2 touchdowns.

4th Quarter

Michigan State’s drive that started in the prior quarter finished on a 53-yard field goal attempt that came up short on 4th & 22.

Quinn would connect on a big 3rd down pass to Maurice Stovall for 50 yards and 2 plays later they hooked up again for a 7-yard touchdown. 38-31, Michigan State.

Notre Dame forced a punt and got the ball back. Yet, a 9-play drive was stopped after Schwapp was stuffed on 4th & 1 at the Michigan State 21-yard line. MSU punted again and Quinn would find Samardzija with under 3 minutes remaining to tie the game up.

The Spartans actually were driving when safety Tom Zbikowski forced a fumble after a completion and Notre Dame had the ball back with 1:41 left near midfield. The drive went nowhere, ND punted, and Michigan State took 3 runs backed up against their goal line to let time expire.

Overtime

We’re so conditioned to these long and emotional overtimes in college football these days but not in this game back in 2005. Notre Dame gained zero yards and kicked a 44-yard field goal to go up 41-38.

After an 11-yard run from Stanton and false start, a speed option to Jeff Teague saw the Spartan running back race past a diving Zbikowski for the game-winning touchdown. Michigan State stuns Notre Dame 44-41 in South Bend.

Ballgame. 

The Aftermath

It’s weird to look back at this game in contrast to the huge Weis contract extension. The game itself was incredibly nuts and had many of the hallmarks (failed 4th down, goal line fumble, missed field goal, wacky interception) of the crazy upsets that would follow the program around for years to come.

Notre Dame totaled 31 first downs, ran 98 plays, and finished with 594 yards. They still lost.

Michigan State would crush Illinois the following week 61-14 to move to 4-0 while looking like they might actually be in contention for the Big Ten title. Heading into October 1st, the Spartans were actually 11th in the country, 2 spots ahead of Notre Dame.

However, Michigan State would lose in overtime to Michigan to start a 3-game losing streak–and by the time Weis signed his 10-year extension a few weeks later–the Spartans were unranked again before finishing the season at a disappointing 5-6 overall and 9th in the Big Ten.