Notre Dame Football: 5 reasons the Irish will beat Michigan State
By Jacob Wilson
2. Notre Dame has the edge in special teams
In a game that could very well come down to the wire, special teams play is likely to play a huge role in who takes home the victory. While both teams are fairly even in the return game (Notre Dame gets the nod in kick returns while Michigan State has done better returning punts), the Irish clearly boast better kick and punt specialists.
Junior kicker Justin Yoon joined the Irish as the top kicker in his class and has provided a steady leg for them ever since his debut. Yoon struggled to start this season, missing a pair of 44 and 47 yard attempts, but has since recovered, converting 4/4 attempts for the Irish this season. Matt Coghlin, the freshman from Michigan State, has yet to attempt a field goal in his college career. Yoon and Coghlin are 15/15 and 9/9 on extra point attempts, respectively.
Notre Dame’s Tyler Newsome has been even more impressive, his 47.3 punt average good for 9th in the nation. The senior has saved a sputtering Irish offense numerous times, bailing them out by pinning opponents deep time and time again.
In comparison, Michigan State’s Jake Hartbarger averages a modest 43.8 yards per punt, good for 39th in the country. If this game does come down to special teams play, my money is on Notre Dame’s experienced unit to pull it out.