Saturday night will be the most challenging game of Michigan State'sseason.
The Spartans are gearing up to face No. 3 Notre Dame on the road during what will be the first "Battle for the Megaphone" since 2017. After that, No. 19 Michigan is the highest-ranked team remaining on MSU's schedule this season. The Fighting Irish have talent all over the field, but these five players in particular feel like the ones Michigan State has to hone in on in order to pull off a monster upset and make a statement of statements.
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr (13) looks for an open receiver during the first half of a NCAA football game against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, WI. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Notre Dame's challenges begin with its elite quarterback. Redshirt sophomore CJ Carr is in the Heisman discussion this year, and he's already thrown for 492 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions through two games against Wisconsin and Rice. If Carr continues to play at the level he's expected to this year and leads Notre Dame into an expected College Football Playoff run, then he'll almost certainly become a first-round pick in next year's NFL Draft.
What is most impressive about Carr is that he's going to take what you give him. If a corner is in man coverage and gives a receiver a very large cushion, Carr will take advantage of that and accept that six- to eight-yard gain on first down every time. Then, once the opponent adjusts and tries to take away that free access, Carr has one of the better deep balls in college football, and his receivers are good enough to win their 50/50 battles more often than not.
Notre Dame wide receiver Jordan Faison rushes the ball for a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Jordan Faison stands out as Notre Dame's WR1 so far. He's got eight catches for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns this season. No receiver for the Fighting Irish has posted gaudy numbers yet, since they've stayed ahead and haven't needed to play their starters all game (especially vs. Rice). Faison, a former walk-on, is the best one Notre Dame has, though.
He was the Irish's leading receiver last season, leading the team in receptions (49) and receiving yards (640), and also scoring four touchdowns. Faison has also served as Notre Dame's punt returner during each of the first two games this season.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp (54) Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Notre Dame's top offensive lineman may be left guard Anthonie Knapp. He earned a litany of preseason All-American honors, including First Team nods from ESPN and The Athletic, and then second-team nods from On3 and The Sporting News.
Knapp was the starting left tackle on the Irish's offensive line last year during all 12 games. PFF says he only allowed one sack and 11 pressures over 334 pass-blocking snaps during the 2025 season, which is a pretty impressive year. Despite that, Notre Dame moved him to guard this offseason and elevated sophomore Will Black to the starting left tackle role.
Nov 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore (15) in action against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Junior corner Leonard Moore is Notre Dame's best player regardless of position. The only reason he didn't go in the first round of last year's NFL Draft is that he wasn't eligible for the pros yet. Moore had five interceptions last season and an FBS-best 92.5 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. He was a unanimous All-American as a true sophomore and is probably going to be a unanimous All-American again this year.
If Heisman voters valued defense the same way they valued offense, Moore would be in the discussion. Moore is very sticky in coverage, has great ball skills for a corner, and he defends the run very well. Whenever Alessio Milivojevic scans the defense pre-snap, it's probably best to find No. 15 and then avoid that half of the field. That's the kind of player Michigan State is dealing with during this matchup.
Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, top, tackles Wisconsin running back Abu Sama (3) during the first half of a NCAA football game at Lambeau Field on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Green Bay, WI. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
"I just think certainly the physical skill set, the length, the size, the athleticism," MSU offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said Tuesday about Moore. "He's a physical corner; he'll tackle, which sometimes you don't always get that -- he will. And he can catch; he catches the ball."
"His ball skills for a corner, I think, are rare. His ability to track and adjust to the ball in the air [is great]. He has all the makings of a great player, and he's well-coached. So all of those things make him, yeah, a tremendous player, and I have a ton of respect for him, for sure."
Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) celebrates after a turnover during a NCAA football game against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Linebacker is also no issue for Notre Dame. The Irish are led there by junior Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who missed the team's season opener against Wisconsin but returned last week against Rice. Viliamu-Asa was one of the nation's best linebackers last season. He had 48 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, and an interception.
His overall PFF grade of 89.7 across his 11 appearances ranked fifth among all FBS linebackers last season (min. 300 snaps), as well as second among teams in the Power Four.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/michiganstate as 5 Notre Dame Players MSU Must Contain for Upset Chances .
