Nick Marsh's Time As Top Receiver Might Be Up

The Michigan State Spartans had lofty expectations going into the season, and some were met, like the special teams being great, but many of those expectations were left unmet.

However, just like the special teams meeting their expectations, star receiver Nick Marsh is on track to meet his expectations of being the team's number one wide receiver.

MSU, Nick Mars — Michigan State's Aidan Chiles, right, and Nick Marsh walk to the locker room at halftime in the game against Penn State during the second quarter on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the season coming to a close he still technically has a lead on the next closest receiver, having 577 yards compared to the 550 that Omari Kelly has.

But he was supposed to have a much bigger lead than he has, so what has led to the race being so close, and will he be able to hold on for one more game?

Why The Race For Top Receiver Is Close: The Quarterback Situation

MSU, Aidan Chiles, Alessio Milivojevi — Michigan State's quarterback Aidan Chiles, left, and Alessio Milivojevic look to throw during football practice on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the biggest changes of the season has been in the quarterback room, in which the player throwing Marsh the ball changed drastically.

The former starting QB Aidan Chiles kept the run game as the main focus, but when he threw it would most often be in Marsh's direction.

MSU, Aidan Chiles, Nick Mars — Michigan State's Nick Marsh, left, and Aidan Chiles walk on the field before the football game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, freshman QB Alessio Milivojevic took the reins, and he has spread the ball out to many more players than Chiles did, and therefore Marsh has gotten the ball less.

Instead, tight ends have been thriving, and players who would normally have smaller roles such as Chrishon McCray have been explosive.

MSU, Alessio Milivojevi — Nov 22, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) looks on before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

It's not as though Marsh is never getting the ball though, and he still has the lead in the race to being MSU's number one receiver this year.

What Will Need To Happen For Nick Marsh To Win The Race

Marsh will need to hold out on a twenty-yard lead for him to end up as the top Spartan receiver this year, and he will most likely need a better game than his four catches and 18 yards against Iowa.

Whether it means going for extra yards instead of just going down, or advocating for himself to be put in more deep ball plays, he must outperform.

If he does not have a better game than Kelly his only hope will be in Kelly obtaining less than 20 yards across the game.

But Marsh still has a few days to get reps in with Milivojevic and put himself out there for more targets, and having already been the top receiver thus far into the season he most definitely is capable of keeping the title, but only the game against the Maryland Terapins will give the final answer.

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