College Football Game Lines – Notre Dame Needs To See Clearly In East Lansing

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were playing with a vision-impaired quarterback this past weekend. They’ll need Dayne Crist to be better against Michigan State.  

Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Michigan State Spartans 
Saturday, September 18th – 8:10 PM ET 
Spartans Stadium, East Lansing, MI 
Broadcast: ABC 
College Football Game Lines Odds: Notre Dame +3, Michigan State -3  
Total: 51.5

It was revealed over the past week that Notre Dame starting quarterback Dayne Crist was playing with blurred vision during the Fighting Irish’s 28-24 loss to Michigan on September 11. Crist was removed from the game for a time but re-entered the lineup. Tellingly, Crist threw passes out of the back of the end zone at the end of each half. A lack of depth perception very possibly affected his ability to see and scan the field. That’s a major concern for Notre Dame heading into a night fight at Michigan State. 

[Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 60% bonus on your first deposit here at BetOnline? Find out more exciting details HERE.]

College Football Game Lines: What Notre Dame Has To Do To Win

The biggest thing Notre Dame has to be aware of on Saturday is the need to weather the early storm. Michigan State is well known for its shaky mental profile as a program, from one year to the next. Last year, the Spartans moved deep into Notre Dame territory in the game’s final minutes, only for quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw a game-sealing pick just when MSU was well within range of a tying field goal try by stud kicker Brett Swenson. Notre Dame held on for a 33-30 win, a typical scene for Michigan State football fans – Sparty hasn’t had a Big Ten championship to point to since 1987. Michigan State has a pronounced propensity to blow late leads and basically falter just short of the finish line. If Notre Dame can maintain its poise and force and force MSU to win the game in the fourth quarter, that’s a proposition new Irish coach Brian Kelly will probably live with. The Irish must lean on their defense and get turnovers to stay in this fight and then win it late.

College Football Game Lines: What Michigan State Has To Do To Win

Coach Mark Dantonio’s Spartans need their veteran experience (seven returning starters on offense) to pay dividends against the Fighting Irish. Sparty has begun its 2010 season with warm-ups against Western Michigan and Florida Atlantic. This team is relatively fresh and hasn’t taken much of a pounding, whereas Notre Dame has gone up against Big Ten opponents in Purdue and Michigan, suffering the injury to Crist against the Wolverines. If Michigan State executes and allows its strength in the trenches to show up, it has an entirely legitimate chance of not only beating the Irish, but bloodying them up as well. Avoiding nerves is a constant challenge for this frail program. Allowing its talent to emerge is always the big key for Michigan State. Notre Dame does not enjoy a considerable talent advantage over MSU, and that’s why the home team has such a good chance to prevail. If both teams eliminate mistakes, Michigan State is better. 

College Football Game Lines: Outlook & Pick 

Michigan State will make some mistakes, but Notre Dame – who had all three of its quarterbacks (Nate Montana and Tommy Rees, not just Crist) throw interceptions against Michigan – does not seem to be gifted enough or dynamic enough to win this game on the road at night. Take Michigan State because of what Notre Dame lacks, not because of what the Spartans might have.  
College Football Game Lines Pick: Michigan State -3