Notre Dame gets its first crack at a primetime rivalry stage at home tomorrow night, and the spotlight lands squarely on the Irish offense.
Michigan State comes to South Bend for the renewed battle for the Megaphone Trophy, the first of three primetime games inside Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame has rolled up strong numbers through two games, including a 52-point showing in its home opener, and junior quarterback CJ Carr has been electric to start the season. But this is a different kind of test - another Big Ten defense, this time with the Spartans waiting under the lights.
The biggest question for Notre Dame isn’t whether the passing game can flash. It’s whether the ground game can finally take control.
Through two games, the Irish rushing attack has been stuck near the bottom of the national rankings, sitting No. 116 in yards per game and No. 116 in yards per carry at 3.58. That’s the area that has to change if this offense is going to keep building momentum, and it starts with the offensive line setting the tone against a disciplined, physical front.
Carr and the receivers should also find chances on the edges. Michigan State has shown it can be exposed on the perimeter, and Notre Dame’s passing game, with Carr and Jordan Faison leading the way, has the kind of speed and spacing that can make the Spartans pay.
Toledo threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan State in the opener, and the Spartans’ top two receivers averaged 25.2 yards per catch and 16.3 yards per catch. Carr gets another shot to add to what’s already been a Heisman-caliber start, and he gets it in primetime.
There’s also the moment itself. For several key Notre Dame players, this will be their first start at night in Notre Dame Stadium during a rivalry game.
Left tackle Will Black and wide receiver Micah Gilbert are among those stepping into that setting for the first time. Others, including Mylan Graham and Nolan James Jr., will rotate in with a chance to make their presence felt on a bigger stage.
This is the first of two night-game rivalry matchups in South Bend, and it feels like a preview of what’s ahead later this season.
Micah Gilbert is one of the more intriguing names to watch on offense. He’s been productive through two games, but he’s still chasing the kind of boundary presence Malachi Fields provided in 2025.
Michigan State will give him a real test with Tre Ball and Tyran Chappell, two long and physical outside corners. Gilbert’s growth has shown up from last season into this fall, and now he gets another chance to prove it against a quality Big Ten defense.
The trenches could decide a lot of this one, and junior left guard Anthonie Knapp is right in the middle of it. He has a chance to put together a dominant night, and if he does, it will come against a serious challenge in Eli Coenen.
The 6-6, 287-pound defensive tackle leads Michigan State in pressures, sacks and hits on the quarterback. Knapp and the rest of the line were underwhelming in the run game against Rice last weekend, and that’s not the standard Notre Dame is chasing.
He’ll be tasked with helping turn that around while also dealing with Coenen’s length and disruption inside.
And then there’s Aneyas Williams, the player who could turn a solid night into a statement one. The junior running back had his moments in the second half against Wisconsin in the opener, then struggled to get going against Rice at home.
He has 119 rushing yards on 29 carries this season, along with two rushing touchdowns. At 5-10 and 210 pounds, the Missouri native has already shown flashes, and if he runs with more patience against Michigan State, he has a chance to announce himself in a bigger way.
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