Clausen throws for 300 yards, 2 TD passes as ND holds on for 33-30 victory over Michigan State

Clausen throws 2 TD passes, in 33-30 victory

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jimmy Clausen threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns, including a 33-yarder to Golden Tate with 5:18 left to lead Notre Dame to a 33-30 victory over Michigan State on Saturday.

Kyle McCarthy intercepted a pass by Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins at the 4 with 57 seconds left and the Irish held on to beat the Spartans in Notre Dame Stadium for the first time since 1993.

The Irish, who lost star wide receiver Michael Floyd to what may be a broken collarbone, were coming off a discouraging loss at Michigan the week before that put pressure back on coach Charlie Weis, who is 31-22 for a .585 winning percentage in his fifth season.

“It’s a big win for Notre Dame, it’s not a big win for Charlie Weis,” Weis said after the game. “These kids fought their butts off and I’m happy for them.”

Notre Dame needed some help, too. Caper had slipped through the Irish defense and was all alone in the back of the end zone when Cousins overthrew him on the play before.

Cousins was 23 of 35 passing for 302 yards. The Irish held Michigan State to 105 yards rushing.

Floyd was hurt in the first half and Weis said the training staff told him “clavicle” and he assumes they meant that it’s broken.

Floyd, who was second in the nation with 160 yards receiving per game, finished with two catches for 38 yards.

Armando Allen ran for 115 yards and a touchdown and threw for another out of a wildcat formation, and Nick Tausch kicked field goals of 22 and 46 yards for the Irish (2-1), though missed an early extra point.

Blair White caught a pair of touchdown passes and Caper ran for two more as the Spartans (1-2) lost for the second straight week. It was the second time in the past nine meetings that the home team won.

Clausen was 22 of 31 and missed two plays in the first half after apparently injuring his right foot when he was sacked, but it didn’t appear to slow him.

After catching the go-ahead score, Tate kept running and leapt into the Michigan State band. He finished with 127 yards on seven catches.

Clausen completed his first 10 passes as the Irish jumped to a 13-3 lead. His first miss came when Mike Ragone dropped the ball early in the second quarter.

Michigan State used both quarterbacks. Cousins started and played the majority of snaps, but Keith Nichol guided the Spartans to their first touchdown. Cousins led the other four scoring drives, including a 57-yard pass to Mark Dell that set up a 17-yard TD pass to White.

The Irish scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and appeared ready to blow the game open when they got untracked by a series of penalties. It started on a second-and-11 from the Michigan State 44 when tackle Sam Young was called for a false start. Guard Trevor Robinson was called for a hold on the next play, leading to a second-and-25. Then Clausen was sacked for the first time this season and was shaken up, missing the next play.

Then when the Spartans got the ball on the 20, Notre Dame cornerback Robert Blanton was called for a personal foul for a late hit on quarterback Nichol. Two plays later, Nichol kept the ball again for a 9-yard gain when safety Harrison Smith was called for a late hit.

The Spartans scored on the next play on a 30-yard pass from wide receiver Keshawn Martin to White to cut the lead to 13-10. The Spartans recovered an onside kick by Brett Swenson, but couldn’t take advantage, though when Caulton Ray caught a 14-yard pass but fumbled at the 40-yard line.