The Notre Dame football team is 3-0 after another big win over Michigan State. Of course, the 27-10 win wasn't quite as big as their wins over either Wisconsin or Rice. That makes some sense, considering the Irish talked all week about how the Spartans would be the best team they've faced so far this season.
In the wake of another win and just taking care of business while other AP Top 25 teams were busy getting beat, some players look like they're starting to see their stock rise with Notre Dame. Other players are starting to fall off a cliff and might soon be in the doghouse if they don't start performing better.
3 stock risers for Notre Dame football after Michigan State win
Micah Gilbert
Micah Gilbert came to Notre Dame as a highly touted wide receiver prospect but has seen very limited playing time since arriving in South Bend. He got a little action against Rice last week, catching his first touchdown of the season. On Saturday night against Michigan State, he set career highs in catches (8) and yards (170) in a game. The 170 yards were also more than Gilbert had in any season before the Week 3 contest.
Nolan James Jr.
Nolan James Jr. has spent most of the season as the backup running back to Aneyas Williams. However, comments by position coach Ja'Juan Seider hinted that the door was open for someone to take Williams' job. James might have done just that, as he had more carries (26) and more yards (121) in a game than anyone else this season. He added 2 catches for 7 yards for good measure. Notre Dame likes to alternate backs in their offense, but the second half was pretty much the Nolan James Show.
Boubacar Traore
Boubacar Traore's impact on Saturday night might not have been reflected on the traditional stat sheet, but he had himself a heck of a night against Michigan State. He only recorded 1 sack and 1 tackle, but he also had 4 quarterback hurries and 1 quarterback hit. According to Pro Football Focus, he was graded as the second-highest-rated defender, with an 80.4 overall. That's much better than his previous two games (64.9 and 62.8).
3 stock fallers for Notre Dame football after Michigan State win
Keon Keeley
Coming into the season, the story around Keon Keeley was that he needed to tap into his potential. Last week against Rice, it looked like things were finally starting to click. However, last night he got just 9 snaps and had no real impact on the game. His PFF rating underscores a bad night: he scored just 44.4, making him the lowest-ranked defensive player on Notre Dame.
Jaiden Ausberry
Speaking of playing well against Rice and then not playing nearly as well against Michigan State. Jaiden Ausberry had roughly the same number of snaps against both teams. Against the Owls, he wreaked havoc. Against the Spartans, he scored a PFF grade of 56.5 overall. On a defensive line with a ton of talent, Ausberry might be playing himself out of the rotation.
Aneyas Williams
Aneyas Williams might be the biggest faller of the group. The running back has been the starter for the first three weeks of the season. After struggling for yards and getting penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on his touchdown in the first half, he had exactly one touch in the second half. He was stuffed for a two-yard loss. Maybe the Notre Dame coaches were sending him a message. More likely, he was demoted.
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