Ranking MSU's Football Schedule, From Easiest Game to Hardest
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The complete 2026 Michigan State football schedule is out there.
MSU is getting going for Year 1 of the Pat Fitzgerald era. Winter workouts are ongoing, and spring football practices start in about a month. Alas, the transfer portal is closed and the incoming recruiting class has been signed, so rosters should be set for next fall, as the spring transfer window is no longer a thing.
It’s never too early to look at the next 12 games for the Spartans and try to figure out how they do, though. The schedule is certainly difficult, but that’s always life in the Big Ten these days.
Let’s rank all 12 games, from easiest (12) to hardest (1).
12. Eastern Michigan (H), Sept. 12
The easiest game on MSU’s schedule is a home game against Eastern Michigan during Week 2. EMU only went 4-8 last season. The Eagles played one Power Four team last year, losing to a 5-7 Kentucky team by 25.
One interesting storyline, though, will be the return to East Lansing for quarterback Noah Kim, who started a handful of games in 2023 and led the MAC in passing yards last season.
11. Toledo (H), Sept. 5
Michigan State’s game against Toledo isn’t too much more difficult. The Rockets went 8-5 last year, going 0-2 vs. P4 competition, but also lost their head coach, Jason Candle, to UConn.
Their new head coach, Mike Jacobs, was previously the head coach for FCS Mercer, where he went 20-6 overall in two years there.
10. Northwestern (H), Oct. 17
On paper, the easiest Big Ten game for MSU should be its home game against Northwestern. The challenging part about gauging the nine-game conference slate is that all the “bad” teams the Spartans play are on the road. Really, there are no games on the Big Ten schedule that feel like easy wins right now.
Northwestern went 7-6 last season. Michigan State will definitely be fired up to play the Wildcats, as Fitzgerald will face his alma mater for the first time with the green and white, and MSU will also be facing off against former starting QB Aidan Chiles.
9. Rutgers (A), Nov. 28
Not much “easier” is a road game against Rutgers to close out the regular season. The Scarlet Knights went 5-7 last season and are losing starting QB Athan Kaliakmanis, but did bring in Boston College transfer Dylan Lonergan, who threw for 390 yards and four touchdowns against MSU last year, but later got benched by BC later in the season.
8. Wisconsin (A), Oct. 3
Getting closer to the middle is a road game at Wisconsin. The Badgers will be coming off a game at Penn State and only went 4-8 this season. I was a bit torn between ranking Rutgers or Wisconsin as more difficult, but Camp Randall is a more difficult atmosphere, Luke Fickell has a track record of success in the past at Cincinnati, and Wisconsin’s ceiling is higher. Also, UW’s transfer portal class is ranked third in the Big Ten by On3 (only behind Indiana and UCLA).
7. Nebraska (H), Sept. 26
Slightly ahead of the Badgers is a game against Nebraska. Michigan State gave the Cornhuskers a good fight on the road last year, and will now open up the Big Ten schedule with them.
Nebraska also has a change at QB, with Dylan Raiola going to Oregon and the addition of UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea, whose 3,459 passing yards were good for 15th in the FBS last season.
6. UCLA (A), Oct. 24
Getting into the top half now is a road trip to UCLA. The Bruins went 3-9 last year, but crushed MSU in East Lansing, 38-13. UCLA then made one of the better coaching hires of this past cycle, hiring James Madison’s Bob Chesney. He led the Dukes to the CFP in 2025, and now he gets to bring part of that roster to Westwood.
The schedule dynamics are also awful. Michigan State will not only be flying cross-country, but it will be playing its eight straight game to start the season before its first and only bye. UCLA will be just on its third straight game after its bye.
5. Illinois (H), Oct. 10
One of the other tough outs is Illinois. The Fighting Illini went 9-4 this past season and are emerging as one of the Big Ten’s better programs under Bret Bielema. Illinois will also starter former MSU quarterback Katin Houser, who previously was at East Carolina.
4. Washington (H), Nov. 14
Like Illinois, Washington also went 9-4 last season. The Huskies had some transfer portal drama, but ultimately held onto starting QB Demond Williams Jr., who will be expected to be one of the conference’s best next season. MSU will also be coming off the emotional high/low of its game against Michigan for this one.
3. Michigan (A), Nov. 7
Speaking of the Wolverines, they slot in here in third. Michigan also has a new coach, picking up former longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham. UM also went 9-4 last year, finishing 21st in the final AP Poll.
The key for it will be unlocking the obvious talent of Bryce Underwood that wasn’t unleashed last season. One thing that will help is that MSU gets its rival after a bye.
2. Oregon (H), Nov. 21
The toughest Big Ten game is the Spartans’ game against Oregon. The Ducks, coming off a CFP semifinal appearance, were able to get quarterback Dante Moore to return to school for one more season. He’ll be one of the preseason favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.
1. Notre Dame (A), Sept. 19
The reason Oregon is second and Notre Dame is first is location. MSU’s game against the Fighting Irish is on the road, while the game against the Ducks is at home. Against two opponents of relatively similar caliber, the location of the game matters.
Per On3, Notre Dame has the No. 9 transfer portal class in the country, which is the best among those on the Spartans’ schedule. It also returns quarterback C.J. Carr, who had a pretty nice redshirt freshman season and nearly got the Irish to the CFP after starting 0-2, with one-score losses to Miami (FL) and Notre Dame.
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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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