Notre Dame vs Michigan State 2017 live stream: Start time, TV schedule, and how to watch online

The Michigan State Spartans should be plenty rested coming off a bye week, and they are looking to start their season 3-0. Michigan State will host Brian Kelly and his Notre Dame team in primetime on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX (live stream it on NBCSports.com).

This rivalry game marks the 79th time these teams have met and will be the last “Battle for the Megaphone” until 2026. Both teams are clawing back from embarrassing 2016 seasons — yep, Notre Dame went 4-8, but Michigan State was worse — and a rivalry win will be a big momentum boost heading into the tougher parts of their schedules.

The Spartans came away with the win last year in South Bend, but Kelly has sort of mellowed out and has a promising young quarterback who has led the team to a 2-1 start. Michigan State will have to contain the run game, by both the running backs and quarterback Brandon Wimbush. The junior quarterback had himself a day last week against Boston College, rushing for 207 yards and four touchdowns, averaging nearly 10 yards a carry.

Likewise, Notre Dame’s run defense will be tested on Saturday. Spartans RB LJ Scott has been on the uptick this season, rushing for 86 yards and a touchdown — with another touchdown off a reception — in the team’s Week 2 game against Western Michigan. Sophomore quarterback Brian Lewerke also ran for 81 yards and two scores to lead the team to its second win of the year.

Accuracy I think is a product of being comfortable within an offense, an offense that has changed a little bit from what he was used to running. It also has to do with really only having one receiver that has established himself in the program for a period of time. He’s working with some new receivers.

Lewerke has struggled with consistency and getting off to slow starts. His accuracy has also been an issue, leaving him open to injuries.

Kelly’s new (?) attitude

Sure, it was only Week 1, but the coach for the Fighting Irish kept his sideline shenanigans to a minimum and didn’t seem to rip into any of his players during the 60 minutes of play. Kelly had hoped to display a calmer demeanor on the sideline to pivot away from the oft-repeated anger problem narrative.

All was going well until Notre Dame’s Week 2 loss to Georgia. Kelly still kept his composure during the game, but afterward had a pretty snarky exchange with a reporter. Admittedly, it was more of a non-story, but the head coach already had a contentious relationship with the press, having since changed his media policy:

But what I will change this year is that I can’t be honest with assessments of players to the media. Totally honest. Because it’s portrayed as throwing players under the bus. Being disloyal to a player. They don’t know the relationship with the player. Based upon what happened last year and the fallout that occurred from other media sources, it doesn’t do the university — it doesn’t do our program — any good for me to be forthright when it comes to those kinds of assessments of our players.

So will Brian Kelly slowly morph back into the red-faced screamer we’re used to seeing on Notre Dame’s sideline? Or will he continue to be a more subdued version of his former self? Only time will tell, but a win (or loss) over the Spartans could help tip the scales one way or the other.

The Fighting Irish come away with a road win and Kelly gets caught yelling at his players only once. The Megaphone Trophy is headed back to South Bend with Notre Dame.