“The belief thing: we believe we can win every game,” Fitzgerald said at Monday’s press conference. “We believe that. I mean, if I've got to convince guys of that, then they should get out of the locker room and go somewhere else.”

Fitzgerald has set the record straight since he arrived in East Lansing, and despite all the noise, he says all that matters is his team's performance against its toughest opponent yet. The odds are steep for a reason. The Spartans will need nearly everything to go in their favor for an upset.

Notre Dame Stadium will create an imposing atmosphere that will certainly disrupt the rhythm of the offense if the Spartans come unprepared. That said, Fitzgerald has played and won there before, defeating the Fighting Irish 43-40 in overtime in 2014.

“It's going to take our best preparation, our best focus, our best execution to give ourselves a chance to compete,” Fitzgerald said.

That execution will be tested against a top-three-ranked opponent less than two years removed from a national championship appearance. The 2026 Fighting Irish enter the season with expectations beyond their 2024 run, with a roster and coaching staff seeking their first championship since their undefeated 1988 season.

Through two games, ND has given little reason to lower those expectations. The Irish have scored 93 points while only allowing 13, including a 52-0 shutout over Rice last Saturday.

The Spartans have similarly taken care of the opponents in front of them, knocking off two Mid-American Conference teams in Toledo and Eastern Michigan. These victories have given MSU a 2-0 record, but also exposed several areas that need to be much improved this week.

It will be the first real test for this coaching staff to see how much it can clean up and improve on a week-to-week basis. The biggest concern heading into this week is consistency.

“We have not yet put together four quarters of clean football,” Fitzgerald said. “We have not yet put together three phases for four quarters. And so that's what we are working relentlessly as a staff to get our guys to go.”

For MSU to compete, that consistency will have to show up in all three phases.

First, the Spartans will have to be committed to stopping the run. The Irish currently rank 107th in the nation in rushing yards per game, averaging 111. MSU, at times this season, has struggled to contain opposing rushers, but the Spartans cannot let a weakness become a strength for ND in this game.

If MSU finds a way to make Notre Dame's offense one-dimensional, it would force sophomore quarterback CJ Carr to win the game through the air. The former Manning Passing Academy standout has yet to experience what it takes to step up and win a game for his team at the collegiate level. The Spartans must set up obvious passing situations, so defensive coordinator Joe Rossi can unleash a pass rush that has already produced seven sacks through two games.

On the other side of the ball, MSU has to stay on the field and cash in the end zone on scoring drives. Graduate running back Cam Edwards will get the bulk of the carries, especially if the inclement weather indicates that the Spartans should keep the ball on the ground. As it stands, thunderstorms are in the forecast, meaning the majority of plays will be decided between the trenches.

Even if opportunities are limited, sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic will have to step up and make big-time throws against one of the best secondaries in the country. The Naperville native has protected the ball throughout his time as a starter, but he must take some risks in this matchup if MSU wants more chances at explosive plays.

The Spartans need to prove what they are capable of on special teams. Field positioning comes at a premium when the margin for error shrinks, and it will be up to LeVar Woods, the team's first-year special teams coordinator, to drastically improve this unit from last week.

The formula for victory isn’t complicated, but performing in front of 77,000 boisterous fans at Notre Dame Stadium will be.

“This will be our greatest challenge to date, for sure,” offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said. “They’re extremely well-coached and very talented. They play the game the right way, so it’ll be a tremendous challenge on all three levels.”