If you’re a Michigan State football fan, you might want to grab a strong coffee for this one. ESPN’s SP+ model just dropped its weekly predictions for every FBS game, and it’s not looking good for the Spartans. Bill Connelly’s model has Notre Dame absolutely handling Michigan State, with a projected final score of 41-13 in favor of the Fighting Irish on Saturday night. That’s a brutal outlook for a team coming in hot.
Perfect Records, Uneven Paths
Both Michigan State and Notre Dame are rolling into this matchup with perfect 2-0 records on the year. But the SP+ model clearly sees a massive difference in how they got there. The Spartans have managed wins against Toledo and Eastern Michigan, while Notre Dame has been cruising, putting up blowout victories over Wisconsin and Rice. When you look at those early opponents, it starts to make sense why the model, and even the betting line, is so lopsided. The betting line for this game is apparently nearly 30 points, which just backs up the SP+’s cold, hard numbers.
Can the Spartans Shock the System?
So, is it truly a done deal? While that 41-13 margin is tough to swallow, the feeling out there is that these power ratings and algorithms, whether for SP+ or betting lines, might not have fully caught up to Michigan State yet. There’s always a chance for an early-season upset when a model hasn’t seen enough from a team. On the flip side, we’ve already seen what Notre Dame can do, and this game could definitely go sideways if Michigan State isn’t ready. The Irish are playing at home in South Bend, Indiana, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET, live on NBC. Can Michigan State defy the numbers and protect that perfect 2-0 start, or will Notre Dame show everyone why the models picked them to dominate? Get ready, because Saturday night is going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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