Christmas came early this year in South Bend. Notre Dame squeezed out a victory at the expense of the visiting Spartans Saturday, a game Michigan State had ample opportunity to win.

To be certain, the Irish did not win the game as much as Michigan State lost it.

All of the strategic coaching decisions favored head coach Mark Dantonio, and the Irish had no answer for quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Spartan receiving corps.

But despite solid execution throughout the contest, Cousins couldn’t deliver when it mattered most. On the second-to-last offensive play, Cousins overthrew a wide open Larry Caper in the back of the end zone. On the pivotal defensive play of the game, Notre Dame’s secondary was now...

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