Biggest Storylines Hovering Over Michigan-Michigan State Week
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The biggest week of Michigan State's football season is now here. It has been a tough season for the Spartans so far, particularly against Big Ten competition, but a lot of that can be forgiven if they can pull out a victory against No. 25 Michigan next Saturday.
Both of these teams have had intriguing seasons for different reasons. Here are a couple of storylines that have developed from MSU's and UM's first seven games that will be a part of the discussion for game eight.
Jonathan Smith's Job Security
This might be Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith's final chance to convince fans --- and perhaps some other important people --- that he should remain the man to guide the Spartans' football future.
Under Smith's leadership, MSU is just 8-11 overall and 3-10 against Big Ten teams. Certainly, that's not good enough in an era where it feels like every major university is doing everything it can to put together a great football program.
Still, the rivalry factor remains. A win over Michigan is worth a lot more than others. If Smith can grab one of those victories, that could make the difference between 2026 being Year 3 for him or Year 1 for somebody else.
Can MSU Stop UM's Streak?
Michigan will enter East Lansing on Saturday with the Paul Bunyan Trophy in its possession and as the winner of each of the last three meetings. It's already the Wolverines' first three-game winning streak in the rivalry since UM running back Mike Hart made the infamous "little brother" comment.
After Hart said that, Michigan State gained firm control of the rivalry for the first time since the 1950s, winning seven of the next eight meetings. Jim Harbaugh's return to Ann Arbor changed it a bit. Ever since "Trouble with the Snap" happened during Harbaugh's first year there, UM is 6-3 against MSU.
Late Night in East Lansing
On Saturday night, following the conclusion of Michigan's win over Washington and MSU's loss to Indiana, NBC announced that it would be the one broadcasting the annual game between the Wolverines and the Spartans. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET for "B1G Saturday Night."
This will be the fourth consecutive season that UM-MSU will be played at night. The 2022 game was on ABC, 2023 on NBC as well, and last year's game was on the Big Ten Network.
The night atmosphere will make a crowd that will already be pretty charged up for a rivalry game even more rowdy. Michigan State-Michigan is already a bitter rivalry, and now everyone will get to stew on nervous energy all day.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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