Micah Gilbert walked into Saturday already knowing Notre Dame’s first call would come his way. CJ Carr was going deep right away, and the plan paid off immediately against Michigan State.
Gilbert got a clean inside release from the boundary, created separation from Spartans cornerback Tre Bell and ran under a ball from Carr that traveled more than 50 yards in the air. The result was a 61-yard gain and an early jolt for the Irish offense.
"I found out pretty early before the game, and I was excited about that coming up being the first call," Gilbert said. "I trust myself a lot, and I was excited to be able to go out there and make that play."
That catch was only the beginning. Gilbert, a 6-foot-2 wideout, kept stacking plays all night and finished Notre Dame’s 27-10 win with eight catches for 170 yards. That was the most receiving yards by any Fighting Irish wideout in a game since Marcus Freeman took over ahead of the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, and it stands as the program’s top receiving total since Chase Claypool had nine catches for 180 yards and a touchdown against Wake Forest in 2017.
The production came in all shapes and sizes. Gilbert worked underneath for short gains, then came back with bigger grabs over 25 yards in the fourth quarter. Carr said he didn’t even realize how big the night had become until after the game.
"I didn't realize he hit 170 [yards] until after the game," Carr said. "I said, 'Oh my gosh, that's a good deal.' Just super happy for him, because he's a guy that puts in the work."
The most impressive catch of the night may have been a 39-yard strike from Carr into double coverage. Gilbert again won on an inside release, got past cornerback Charles Brantley and made a contested over-the-shoulder catch just before Brantley and safety Devin Vaught came crashing in at the Spartan 3-yard line.
That play set up Carr’s 3-yard rushing touchdown, which ended up being Notre Dame’s final score.
"Ooh, that was good. I was a little bit concerned right there," Freeman said.
"Did the ball hit the ground? We got to go tempo, tempo, tempo.
Then CJ starts checking. But the ref didn't replay it or stop the game.
So that means it was a catch. It's just hard to see out there in the moment.
"That was a heck of a throw and an unbelievable catch. That was really good to see."
Saturday was the second straight game in which Gilbert delivered a confidence-building highlight. A week earlier against Rice, he hauled in a 39-yard bomb over two defenders in the end zone to help push Notre Dame to a 42-0 lead late in the first half. The Irish rolled to a 52-0 win in that home opener.
"We just had a play call," Gilbert said last Tuesday. "They lined up in the coverage that took some of it away, and then it just turned into a scramble drill.
Me and CJ were on the same page. I saw him roll to the right.
"I was able to get in phase with him, and he gave me a chance to go up and make a play on the ball, and I was able to."
Gilbert said he and Carr have spent the last year building that kind of connection.
"It's a constant, constant build every single day," Gilbert said. "Just every day in practice, every day he throws a ball out there to every receiver. That's all it is out there is building trust within every player, building trust within the coaches to go out there and execute every single play."
Notre Dame has been searching for a true deep threat to pair with Jordan Faison, who led the team in receiving last season. In recent weeks, wide receivers coach Mike Brown appears to have found that contested-catch presence in Gilbert, who also learned from future third-round NFL Draft pick Malachi Fields last season.
Three games into 2026, Gilbert leads the Fighting Irish with 13 catches for 251 yards and a touchdown. Faison is next with 13 receptions for 173 yards and two scores. No other Notre Dame receiver has more than 61 yards.
Carr will still need more pass-catchers to emerge as Notre Dame moves toward the toughest part of its schedule in mid-October and late-November. But if Gilbert keeps showing up like this, his confidence figure to keep climbing.
"Just those live game reps, you know what I'm saying?" Gilbert said. "Going out and being able to do it in practice is one thing, but then coming out on the field in front of our amazing fan base and doing it is a completely different thing and it's just a huge boost of confidence."
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