MSU has Favorable Path to B1G Title after UM Series

The chase for the Big Ten hockey title is going to come down to the regular season's final month.

Michigan State hockey is in position to go take it for a third consecutive season, though. The Spartans technically split their series against then-No. 1 Michigan this past weekend, but they took four of the series' six possible points. That was enough to give MSU a one-point advantage in the conference standings.

Michigan State players celebrate with the Iron D trophy after 5-2 win over Michigan at the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, February 7, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Once the USCHO.com rankings were updated on Monday, the Spartans took the top spot in the nation's rankings. The computer-generated NPI rankings also have moved MSU into first, meaning Michigan State would have the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, if the bracket were to be made today.

MSU's schedule is also set to lighten up, increasing optimism that the Spartans can bring another Big Ten trophy to East Lansing.

Remaining Schedule for Michigan State

Michigan State forward Eric Nilson (26), left, and defenseman Matt Basgall (9) celebrate with the Iron D trophy after 5-2 win over Michigan at the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, February 7, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's a pretty clear top four in the Big Ten this year: No. 1 Michigan State, No. 2 Michigan, No. 6 Penn State, and No. 13 Wisconsin. The other three teams in the Big Ten --- Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Minnesota --- are all unranked and did not receive any votes to be in the nation's top 20.

Those three unranked teams are the opponents that MSU ends the regular season against. Even though the Spartans have played both of their series against UM, Penn State, and Wisconsin, Michigan State has still accumulated enough points to be in first at this point.

Michigan still has to play series against PSU and Wisconsin. Penn State still has to play UM and Wisconsin. The Badgers have to face Michigan and Penn State.

All the other teams that Michigan State is in the race with for the conference title still have to play one another, while it gets to face what is, essentially, its easiest possible three-series run.

MSU is also getting a bye this coming weekend to help recover from facing Penn State and Michigan back-to-back. The Spartans went 3-1-0 across those two series, with all four games being played away from home, and ended up obtaining nine of the 12 possible points they could've gotten.

Once Michigan State returns to action, it will host Notre Dame (1-15-0 during conference play) for a two-game series on Feb. 19 and 20. The Spartans then host Ohio State (6-10-0 Big Ten) on Feb. 27 and 28 before completing their regular season at Minnesota (6-12-0 Big Ten) on March 5 and 6.

Michigan State's head coach Adam Nightingale looks on against Minnesota during the third period on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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