SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Kyle McCarthy saved Notre Dame from another last-minute loss, one play after Michigan State cut the Fighting Irish a break.

McCarthy's interception at the 4-yard line with 57 seconds sealed Notre Dame's 33-30 win after Jimmy Clausen threw for 300 yards, including the game-winning score on a 33-yard touchdown to Golden Tate with 5:18 left.

"I think this is a huge step for our guys. Not necessarily for the program, but for the guys in the locker room," said McCarthy, who has an interception in each game this season. "We deserve this win."

It was the second straight week the Spartans (1-2) gave an opponent a second chance and paid for it.

Michigan State's Larry Caper slipped through the Irish (2-1) defense and was all alone in the back of the end zone. Caper got his hands on it, but it was high and he couldn't pull it down.

The play was reminiscent of Tate Forcier's game-winning TD pass with 11 seconds left the week before at Michigan.

"After last week, how bad everybody felt in a very similar situation in the ending of the game, to make a play to change the outcome in favor of us, I'm really, really happy for those kids in there," said coach Charlie Weis, 31-22 in his fifth season. "It's nice to see how genuinely excited they are. They feel great."

MORE IA INDEPENDENTS

ARMY 24, BALL STATE 17:

Donovan Travis returned his second interception 18 yards for a touchdown to break a 17-all tie with 6:41 left to play, leading the host Black Knights (2-1) over the Cardinals (0-3).

ACC

CLEMSON 25, BOSTON COLLEGE 7:

C.J. Spiller returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown and Richard Jackson kicked a school-record tying six field goals and the host Tigers (2-1, 1-1 ACC) rolled past the Eagles (2-1, 0-1).

MIDDLE TENNESSEE 32, MARYLAND 31:

Dwight Dasher threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns, and Alan Gendreau kicked a 19-yard field goal as time expired as the visiting Blue Raiders (2-1) stunned the Terrapins (1-2).

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 45, GARDNER-WEBB 14:

Russell Wilson threw for 345 yards with four TD passes and set an NCAA passing record of 329 attempts without an interception as the host Wolfpack (2-1) beat the Bulldogs (2-1).

WAKE FOREST 35, ELON 7:

Riley Skinner threw for a career-high 289 yards and three touchdowns, and the host Demon Deacons (2-1) beat the Phoenix (2-1) in the first meeting in 70 years between the neighboring schools.

BIG 12

COLORADO 24, WYOMING 0:

Quarterback Cody Hawkins directed four scoring drives, and Rodney Stewart returned from a hamstring injury to rush for 127 yards and two touchdowns to lead the host Buffaloes (1-2) past the Cowboys (1-2).

CONNECTICUT 30, BAYLOR 22:

Andre Dixon ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns and the visiting Huskies (2-1) started the second half by turning a pair of fumbles by the Bears (1-1) into touchdowns by Dixon.

BIG EAST

SYRACUSE 37, NORTHWESTERN 34:

Ryan Lichtenstein kicked a 40-yard field goal on the final play of the game, lifting the host Orange (1-2) and first-year coach Doug Marrone over the Wildcats (2-1).

BIG TEN

IOWA 27, ARIZONA 17:

Freshman running back Adam Robinson rushed for a career-high 101 yards and two touchdowns, and the host Hawkeyes (3-0) held the Wildcats (2-1) to just eight first downs and 253 yards of offense.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 28, PURDUE 21:

Me'co Brown ran for 150 yards and Chad Spann added 80 yards and two touchdowns as the visiting Huskies (2-1) beat the Boilermakers (1-2) for their first victory against a Big Ten school since 1988.

CONFERENCE USA

SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 37, VIRGINIA 34:

Tory Harrison ran 57 yards for a touchdown with 8:01 left to play and the host Golden Eagles (3-0) rallied to beat the Cavaliers (0-3).

MARSHALL 17, BOWLING GREEN 10:

Darius Marshall rushed for 186 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run, to help the host Thundering Herd (2-1) rally from a 7-0 halftime deficit to beat the Falcons (1-2).

MID-AMERICAN

INDIANA 38, AKRON 21:

Ben Chappell threw two touchdown passes and Ray Fisher returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score as the visiting Hoosiers (3-0) took a 17-14 halftime lead to beat the Zips (1-2).

CENTRAL MICHIGAN 48, ALCORN STATE 0:

Carl Volny rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Dave LeFevour ran for two more scores as the host Chippewas (2-1) routed the Braves (0-2)

WESTERN MICHIGAN 48, MIAMI (OHIO) 26:

Tim Hiller threw four touchdown passes and Jamail Berry returned a fumble for a score seven seconds into the game to help the host Broncos (1-2, 1-0 Mid-American) defeat the RedHawks (0-3, 0-1).

IOWA STATE 34, KENT STATE 14:

Austen Arnaud ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, helping the Cyclones (2-1) break their 17-game road losing streak with a victory over the Golden Flashes (1-2).

MOUNTAIN WEST

AIR FORCE 37, NEW MEXICO 13:

Jon Davis intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown, and the visiting Falcons (2-1, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) held the Lobos (0-3, 0-1) to 290 total yards and forced four turnovers.

PACIFIC-10

UCLA 23, KANSAS STATE 9:

Kevin Craft hit Terrence Austin with a 51-yard touchdown pass with 6:18 remaining and Kai Forbath kicked three field goals to lead the host Bruins (3-0) past the Jawhawks (1-2).

ARIZONA STATE 38, LOUISIANA-MONROE 14:

Omar Bolden returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown and picked off a pass, and the host Wildcats (2-0) routed the Warhawks (1-2) in a tuneup for their trip to Georgia.

SEC

KENTUCKY 31, LOUISVILLE 27:

Derrick Locke returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and Mike Hartline hit Randall Cobb with a 12-yard TD pass with 4:28 left to play as the host Wildcats (2-0) rallied past the Cardinals (1-1).

MISSISSIPPI STATE 15, VANDERBILT 3:

Sean Brauchle kicked three field goals and quarterback Tyson Lee ran 22 yards for a touchdown to seal Dan Mullen's first SEC win as Bulldogs (2-1, 1-1 SEC) coach with a victory over the host Commodores (1-2, 0-2).

SOUTH CAROLINA 38, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 16:

Brian Maddox scored three touchdowns and the host Gamecocks (2-1) scored on three straight possessions in the second half to pull away from the Owls (0-2), who trailed just 17-16 at halftime.

AUBURN 41, WEST VIRGINIA 30:

Chris Todd threw four touchdown passes and Craig Stevens intercepted a pass and returned it 16 yards for a score in the closing minutes as the host Tigers (3-0) rallied past the Mountaineers (2-1).

SUN BELT

TROY 27, UAB 14:

Levi Brown threw for 413 yards and two touchdowns, only the second 400-yard passing game in school history, and the host Trojans (1-2) beat the Blazers (1-2).