Michigan State Football to Face Notre Dame in 2026, 2027

Michigan State football's historic rivalry with Notre Dame will return in 2026.

Sep 23, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly and Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio shake hands after Notre Dame defeated MSU at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State football has not faced Notre Dame since 2017 when the Fighting Irish conquered the Spartans 38-18.

On Thursday, Michigan State Athletics revealed the historic rivalry will be returning in the fall of 2026.

Per a press release, the Spartans will face the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 19, 2026. Notre Dame will then travel to Spartan Stadium the following year, with a matchup set for Sept. 18, 2027.

The rivalry goes all the way back to 1897. In their 79 meetings, the Irish lead the all-time series 49-29-1. Michigan State, however, is second among all Notre Dame opponents in total wins over the Irish, trailing only USC, which has 38 victories against the program.

The Spartans and Irish have played for the right to hoist the Megaphone Trophy since 1949. From 1959 to 2017, Michigan State and Notre Dame faced each other nearly ever year -- 36 straight seasons from '59 to '94 before picking back up with a 17-season game streak from '97 to 2013. After that, they met just twice more in 2016 and 2017.

Notre Dame has won five of the last seven matchups. The Irish have made a bowl game every year since the two programs last met, including five 10-plus-win seasons. Michigan State has only been to three bowl games in that span.

The rivalry returns just in time for what will be the 60th anniversary of the iconic "Game of the Century" when the Spartans and Irish battled to a 10-10 stalemate in 1966 at Spartan Stadium.

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