One Reason Why Every Game on MSU's Schedule is Important
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College football teams are only granted 12 guaranteed opportunities.
Every game is important in its own way. Michigan State went 4-8 last year and pulled the plug on the Jonathan Smith era. The Spartans were actually a few plays away from winning against Minnesota and Iowa. Wins there would've gotten MSU to bowl eligibility, and Smith's tenure at MSU would probably be headed into Year 3.
Instead, it's Year 1 for Pat Fitzgerald. He's entering a new college football landscape that is much different from when Northwestern fired him in July 2023. This isn't a make-or-break year for Fitzgerald, but Michigan State fans are starving now for a winning program after four consecutive losing seasons.
There will be 12 opportunities to convince fans that things are headed in the right direction. Here is why each one is important:
Toledo: Starting on Right Foot
Pretty simple reasoning here: starting a tenure with a loss to a MAC program that also has a first-year head coach would be humiliating. There are a lot of teams better than Toledo that Michigan State is going to have to contend with following Week 1. Starting 0-1 is a great way to get people to start wondering when basketball season starts.
Eastern Michigan: Mental Fortitude
It's easy to focus on a Week 1 game against anybody. Season openers are practically holidays. Being truly ready for a Week 2 game against an inferior opponent when a massive test awaits the next week is another story. An easy-breezy victory against Eastern Michigan that week would be a sign that Fitzgerald and his staff have their players thinking about the right things.
Notre Dame: Big Boy Test No. 1
The reason you've got to worry about a "trap game" against EMU is that a road game at Notre Dame is the following week. This rivalry battle won't just be at night on national TV (7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC and Peacock), but Notre Dame is expected to be one of the best teams in the country next season.
Even just hanging around for a half with the Fighting Irish in South Bend would go a long way. A blowout loss would be a different story.
Nebraska: Big Ten Opener
Starting strong in conference play is also paramount for the Spartans. Let's face it: there is a very small chance Michigan State walks out of Notre Dame victorious. That means it would need four Big Ten wins to reach bowl eligibility.
Beating Nebraska at home would be huge for those chances. It's a tough but winnable game on the schedule. It can be another tone-setter for the rest of the Big Ten slate.
Wisconsin: Crossroads Matchup
MSU and Wisconsin were two programs that had subpar 4-8 seasons last year and had head coaches on the hot seat. Obviously, the Spartans decided to move on from theirs. Wisconsin kept head coach Luke Fickell.
Fickell is sure to be on the hot seat entering 2026 as well. A victory in Madison would be a nice way to prove that Michigan State made the right choice.
Illinois: Homecoming
Homecoming games are always special, too. MSU got humiliated against UCLA last season in the annual tradition, and the Spartans would like to avoid something like that again.
This will also be the return to East Lansing for former quarterback Katin Houser. He's now with the Fighting Illini after two seasons with East Carolina.
Northwestern: Double Revenge Game
Fitzgerald's exit from Northwestern was certainly ugly in the wake of a hazing scandal. His settlement (of an undisclosed amount) with the school last August is the reason why Michigan State could hire him. NU said that "evidence uncovered during extensive discovery" didn't prove Fitzgerald was aware of the hazing going on.
This will be Fitzgerald's first chance to go up against the alma mater that essentially forced him out of coaching for three seasons. Lest we forget, Aidan Chiles will also be making his return to MSU to go up against his old team. Parties on both sides will be getting their chance for some revenge.
UCLA: Rose Bowl!
It's not the real thing, but the Rose Bowl is still the Rose Bowl. UCLA nearly moved its home games over to SoFi Stadium, but the Bruins are staying in Pasadena for now. Getting a chance to play in the most hallowed ground in college football out West will be a neat opportunity in the middle of the season.
Michigan: Rivalry
No explanation is needed here. The annual matchup against Michigan is the most important game on the schedule every season. MSU hasn't had Paul in its possession in four years, though. Getting him back in Year 1 would basically grant Fitzgerald another honeymoon phase with the fanbase.
Washington: The 'What Now?' Game
The first game after the Michigan matchup always has an interesting dynamic. If it's after a win, everyone is feeling great and thinking not much can go wrong (unless Purdue is up next). If it's a loss, we may as well fast-forward to the end.
Washington is the first opponent for the Spartans in the post-Michigan season. It'll be another tough one, as the Huskies will probably be a preseason top-25 team.
Oregon: Big Boy Test No. 2
Notre Dame was the first "big boy" test on the schedule. Oregon is the second. The Ducks reached the CFP semifinal last year and will likely have top-5 or top-10 expectations again this year.
Oregon is the best team Michigan State will play host to this coming season. The environment and weather could get interesting with the game getting moved to a Friday night in late November.
Rutgers: Finishing Strong
You also need to finish strong at the very end. There were two truly awful moments in Smith's short tenure at MSU (there were plenty of other, smaller moments). The second was that homecoming game against UCLA last season -- that was basically the beginning of the end. The first was when the Spartans got boatraced by Rutgers with bowl eligibility on the line during his first season.
Well, Rutgers is the 12th and final regular-season opponent in Fitzgerald's first year, too. Michigan State being 5-6 entering this game wouldn't be stunning. No matter the record, though, it's always preferable to finish the regular season with a win.
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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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