Michigan State Football will face Notre Dame in 2026 and 2027

The Michigan State football team has not played against Notre Dame since 2017, when the Fighting Irish defeated the Spartans 38-18.

On Thursday, Michigan State Athletics announced that the historic rivalry will return in the fall of 2026.

According to a press release, the Spartans will face the Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 19, 2026. The following year, Notre Dame will travel to Spartan Stadium and the game will take place on September 18, 2027.

The rivalry dates back to 1897. In their 79 meetings, the Irish lead the overall standings with a record of 49-29-1. However, Michigan State ranks second among all of Notre Dame’s opponents in total wins over the Irish, only USC is ahead with 38 wins against the team.

The Spartans and Irish have been playing for the right to hoist the Megaphone Trophy since 1949. From 1959 to 2017, Michigan State and Notre Dame faced each other almost every year – 36 straight seasons from ’59 to ’94 before snapping a 17-season winning streak from ’97 to 2013. They only met twice after that, in 2016 and 2017.

Notre Dame has won five of the last seven meetings. The Irish have appeared in a bowl game every year since the two teams last met, including five seasons with 10+ wins. Michigan State has only appeared in three bowl games during that time.

The rivalry returns just in time for the 60th anniversary of the legendary “Game of the Century,” when the Spartans and Irish reached a 10-10 tie at Spartan Stadium in 1966.

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