​Columnist Graham Couch grades Michigan State’s performance in a 27-10 loss at Notre Dame on a scale of 1-10.OFFENSE: 5The numbers don’t say it, but this was a spirited offensive performance, even if with a number of mistakes. Cam Edwards had a modest 38 yards rushing on 12 carries, but we all saw him be a productive runner. Alessio Milivojevic completed just 9 of 17 passes for 123 yards and threw two interceptions, but we him make some key throws, including 53-yard bomb to Rodney Bullard Jr. MSU had just 11 first downs, but had an extended drive with two third-down conversions to set up a field goal (and what should have been a touchdown, if not for a brutal drop). That deep throw to Bullard set up a Cam Fancher touchdown run — MSU continues to use its backup QB deftly.This was not a listless offense, even if the Spartans wore down late, with Milivojevic being sacked three times in the fourth quarter. MSU looked like an offense that can get some things done. And got a few things done against the best defense it’ll face all season.DEFENSE: 7The immediate response to giving up a 61-yard pass play on the first play from scrimmage was one of the more important and impressive moments of the season thus far for MSU — three straight tackles by Jordan Hall, which forced Notre Dame to settle for a field goal and told the Irish that this was not going to be a walk in the park. Hall was tremendous, with 13 tackles overall. He was everywhere early on. MSU got some solid work out of its defensive line, which hung in there all night. The secondary had some rough moments. Some of that had to do with Notre Dame QB CJ Carr, who was tremendous (completing 18 of 24 passes for 234 yards). But, in all, this was the sort of performance defensively that’ll win some games for MSU. Notre Dame put up 41 points on Wisconsin and 55 on Rice. So allowing 27 points to the Irish isn’t so bad. This was also the fewest points MSU has allowed to a ranked team in its last 11 meetings against ranked teams. SPECIAL TEAMS: 7MSU had a good day on special teams, other than a blocked punt after the Spartans’ first possession that gave Notre Dame a short field that led to the game’s first touchdown and a 10-0 Notre Dame lead. Conversely, a special teams play defensively by MSU was among the plays of the game. Notre Dame inexplicably and disrespectfully tried a fake punt — a reverse, no less — from its own 39-yard line, which MSU did a great job of of defending it, beginning with Keshawn Williams shedding a block to send the runner wider than he wanted. Other than the blocked punt, MSU’s Rhys Dakin had a nice night booting the ball, still averaging 45.2 yards per punt, including putting two inside the 20-yard line. Kicker Liam Boyd made his only field goal attempt of 32 yards to put MSU on the board, and sent all three of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.COACHING: 8Pat Fitzgerald took some blame for not having MSU ready for that initial 61-yard throw b