Michigan State Can’t Get Past Notre Dame

Notre Dame used an opportunistic defense to beat Michigan State.

Tom Zbikowski returned a fumble 75 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with an interception and the Fighting Irish forced six turnovers in their 31-24 win over the Spartans on Saturday at East Lansing, Mich.

The Irish (2-1) got three interceptions and recovered three fumbles in their second straight victory.

Zbikowski’s two big plays in the first quarter got Notre Dame rolling against the Spartans (1-2).

Notre Dame Coach Tyrone Willingham, a 1977 Michigan State graduate, is 2-1 against his alma mater as Notre Dame’s coach.

He said turnovers were the difference.

“It is something we talk about and work on every week,” Willingham said. “It’s just modern-day, defensive football. You have to create turnovers.”

No. 9 Ohio State 22, N.C. State 14 -- The Buckeyes (3-0) made up for a shoddy day offensively by forcing five turnovers, and Mike Nugent tied a school record with five field goals at Raleigh, N.C. The Wolfpack is 1-1.

No. 22 Minnesota 34, Colorado State 16 -- Marion Barber III ran for 201 yards and two touchdowns and Laurence Maroney added 132 yards for the Gophers at Fort Collins, Colo.

Barber and Maroney went over 100 yards in the same game for the second time this season for Minnesota (3-0).

Colorado State (0-3) starts the season with three straight losses for the first time in Coach Sonny Lubick’s 12 seasons.

Illinois 30, Western Michigan 27 -- E.B. Halsey’s 40-yard punt return and a pass interference penalty called against Western Michigan (1-2) in the end zone set up Illinois’ (2-1) winning touchdown with 1:02 remaining at Champaign, Ill.

Northwestern 20, Kansas 17 -- Brett Basanez completed 20 of 33 passes for 192 yards for the Wildcats at Evanston, Ill.

Adam Barmann connected with Brandon Rideau on two fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally Kansas (2-1), but Basanez’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Horn put Northwestern (1-2) back in front, 20-17.

Penn State 37, Central Florida 13 -- Tony Hunt rushed for three touchdowns at State College, Pa., as the Nittany Lions (2-1) overcame six turnovers by quarterback Zack Mills.

Central Florida is 0-3.

Kentucky 51, Indiana 32 -- Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd had 335 yards of total offense at Lexington, Ky.

Indiana (2-1) lost for the ninth time in its last 10 meetings against Kentucky (1-1).