College Football Week 3: ND-Mich State Keys Marquee Games

We can make a reasonable guess at this early stage of the season that both Michigan State and Notre Dame are going to be pretty good teams. But as the Spartans and Irish get set to renew their longstanding rivalry Saturday night in East Lansing, we really don’t know how good. Is it eight wins kind of good? Or can either one make a run at a BCS game? For Michigan State the answer will ultimately be decided in Big Ten play, a conference where the ability to walk and chew gum simultaneously, all without breaking NCAA rules, might be sufficient for a Rose Bowl berth. For Notre Dame, with a brutal schedule still ahead—Michigan, BYU, Stanford, Oklahoma and USC for starters—Saturday is a must-win game.