Leonard Moore vs. Rodney Bullard Jr.

Pick your poison, but throwing at Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore is probably the wrong decision. Moore enters Saturday’s contest widely regarded as the nation’s top corner and one of college football's best players. Moore was a unanimous All-American last season, leading the nation in Pro Football Focus grade and coverage grade at his position as a sophomore.

“He’s a physical corner,” offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said. "He’ll tackle, which sometimes you don’t always get, and he can catch the ball. His ball skills for a corner, I think, are rare; his ability to track and adjust to the ball in the air. He has all the makings of a great player, and he’s well-coached. All of those things make him a tremendous player, and I have a ton of respect for him.”

Clearly, the odds are against the Spartans’ weaponry, but this matchup could indicate how talented MSU’s No. 1 target is. Graduate wideout Rodney Bullard Jr. entered the season unsure if he would even be eligible, but the NCAA ultimately granted him a waiver for an additional season. Since his return, Bullard has quickly become the most reliable option in an otherwise unproven receiver group.

Moore won’t line up across from Bullard on every play, but if the veteran receiver truly wants to cement himself as the focal point of this offense, he can show it on Saturday.

The remaining Notre Dame secondary

It’s easy to assume throwing in the opposite direction of Moore makes the game easier, but it’s everyone around him who makes this defense so dangerous.

The Fighting Irish brought in Colorado defensive back DJ McKinney this offseason, and he’s already showcased his playmaking prowess. The fifth-year corner took a 55-yard interception for a touchdown in the Fighting Irish's opener against Wisconsin.

On the back end, the Irish have difference makers too. Star safety Brauntae Johnson entered 2026 a Preseason All-American, but a left foot injury against the Badgers will keep the ballhawk sidelined on Saturday. The 6-foot-4, 222-pound senior Luke Talich will take his place as an experienced, enforcing safety who ended 2025 with three interceptions.

Then there’s Adon Shuler, who’s another hard-hitting safety who made himself known 14 seconds into the game against Rice when he forced a scoop-and-score. He’s a two-time captain for Notre Dame who will anchor this defense and present problems in the run game.

"It doesn't take long for you to see Shuler,” head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “He knocked that dude's lips off, and then you watch every tape and, 'Yup, there's [number] eight.'”

Lean on Cam Edwards to run

If there’s one thing this offense needs to accomplish, it's starting hard on the ground. Through two weeks of the Fitzgerald era, it's become apparent that running the ball will be part of this team’s DNA. The Spartans have emphasized controlling the football and rank second in the nation in average time of possession.

Graduate running back Cam Edwards has been the bell cow behind that approach and leads the Big Ten in rushing yards through two weeks. Notre Dame will be the stiffest front he has seen yet, making it even more important for the UConn transfer to find success.

Still, the Spartans want to stay dynamic, utilizing the run to set up sophomore quarterback Alessio Milivojevic. Whether Edwards and the other backs can generate production to keep Notre Dame committed to the run could determine how much leeway Milivojevic has through the air.

“We’ve got to be balanced,” Sheridan said. “You can’t just be one-dimensional.”

Top-tier linebacker corps in the nation

As much as MSU needs to run the football, the linebackers in South Bend will make every yard hard to come by. The Irish have the athleticism and intangibles to fill gaps and roam in coverage better than any team in college football.

Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa headlines the group as a rare every-down linebacker with immense versatility to move around the field. He’s considered to be one of the top second-level defenders in the nation and has a chance to go in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft. Next to Viliamu-Asa, returning captain linebacker Drayk Bowen gives Notre Dame another physical presence in the middle of its defense. This tandem is one of, if not the best, linebacker pairings in the country.

Containing CJ Carr

It’s difficult to evaluate first-year starting quarterback CJ Carr and not come away impressed. The Saline, Mich. sophomore has already demonstrated the ability to take what the defense gives, playing with poise and efficiency. He has already racked up 492 yards, 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions while completing 71% of his passes.

“No. 1, he’s talented,” defensive coordinator Joe Rossi said. “He’s got a very good arm; he’s very accurate, but I think the thing that separates him is his football IQ and his intelligence. It’s very evident watching the film that he runs the show.”

Carr’s productivity has been nearly unstoppable since becoming the starter. It will be up to MSU to be the first to slow him down. MSU will have to focus on pressuring the young quarterback by forcing him out of clean pockets, making him improvise on the move rather than pick apart the defense.

That task becomes more difficult, though, behind an Irish offensive line that has given Carr plenty of time to operate. A lot of responsibility lies on junior defensive tackle Eli Coenen, who has been the main disrupter on MSU’s defensive line so far, picking up three sacks in two games. Coenen can’t be the only one to bring pressure, but it is imperative that the Spartans make Carr uncomfortable if they want to keep it close.