The Irish offensive line must establish the run against Ben Roberts while Micah Gilbert battles portal-tested cornerbacks to keep South Bend’s high-powered scoring machine rolling.
For the second time in head coach Marcus Freeman's tenure, the Irish are 2-0. This Saturday night, Notre Dame takes on a familiar foe when the Michigan State Spartans travel up to South Bend to take on the Irish under the lights. Through two games, the Irish offense has been humming averaging 46.5 points per game, but if they want to keep that ball rolling, they're going to have to do it against head coach Pat Fitzgerald and this Spartans defense. These are the matchups to watch for in Notre Dame's primetime matchup with the Spartans Saturday night.
INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE
As a unit, the offense has been humming, but the run game has left a little to be desired. In their first two matchups, the Irish have averaged 114.5 rushing yards per game. Some might attribute that to the loss of two first-round NFL draft picks at running back, but the offensive line hasn't been able to generate the push we thought they'd be able to in the preseason. There's been some shuffling in the first two games at the right guard spot between Sullivan Absher and Styles Prescod and, at the end of the day, this unit has still only played two games together in this alignment. I'm not ready to write the obituary yet on this season, but their matchup Saturday night will be extremely telling.
Matchup To Watch: Michigan State defensive tackle Ben Robert has been one of their most productive interior players. The 6-3, 325-pound defensive tackle has recorded two pressures and two run stops in their first two matchups against Toledo and Eastern Michigan. Center Ashton Craig and the right guard spot whether it's Prescod or Absher, will have to generate a strong push in the run game. Ideally, we also see a run game scheme with more creativity in this matchup, but the scheme will only be so effective if the interior can't hold serve against Roberts.
WR MICAH GILBERT
The boundary receiver position remains a relative question mark through the first two games of the season. Thankfully, junior Micah Gilbert is coming off his most productive game in a Notre Dame uniform. The 6-2, 205-pound North Carolina native caught two passes for 47 yards and one touchdown against Rice, but his ability to make those big time, contested catches in the boundary has yet to be tested, but that's subject to change this weekend. Gilbert has a lot of promise and already has five catches, 81 yards and a touchdown this season. This weekend could be the performance that solidifies himself as one of CJ Carr's go-to targets alongside Jordan Faison.
Matchup To Watch: Michigan State brought in two cornerbacks via the portal that are now in the starting lineup. Iowa State transfer Tre Bell and Houston Christian transfer Tyran Chappell are both in the starting lineup for the Spartans. Gilbert will be matched up throughout the night against both corners. Bell is a 6-1, 200-pound physical corner while Chappell has the length and height at 6-3, 189-pounds. Michigan State plays their cornerbacks in a left-right alignment and don't play a traditional field-boundary like the Irish. Gilbert will have to win his matchups against both transfer defensive backs.
LG ANTHONIE KNAPP
We've already talked about the interior offensive line as a whole, now I want to hone in on left guard Anthonie Knapp who had a really strong performance in the season opener, but followed it up with a lack-luster performance against Rice. Knapp wasn't bad in the home opener by any means, but we didn't see the traditional push we're used to seeing from the 6-5, 305-pound Georgia native last Saturday. He's Notre Dame's most experienced offensive lineman and in rivalry games under the lights is when you need your 'dudes to be dudes' and this weekend is no exception.
Matchup To Watch: The Spartan's most productive defensive lineman from a pressures standpoint is defensive tackle Eli Coenen who is a 6-6, 287-pound, lengthy defensive tackle. Coenen leads the team with seven total pressures and four hits plus sacks on the quarterback, He's also been credited with three total run stops through two games. While Craig and Absher or Prescod will be handling their matchup with Roberts, Knapp will have to ensure his side of the line going against Coenen will be shored up. We've seen the junior guard dominant players at this size before, and he'll have the opportunity to do it again Saturday night.
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