MSU Standout Performer Must Continue Momentum Against Northwestern

One player had an exceptional game against Illinois, but can he keep it up against Northwestern?

Oct 10, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Pat Fitzgerald protests calls that went against the Michigan State Spartans during the fourth quarter against Illinois Fighting Illini at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Spartans will need all the help they can get to defeat the ranked Northwestern Wildcats, as they have not been able to find a win in Big Ten play yet, and this will be their second ranked game of the season.

The game means more than just a possible upset for some people, as multiple revenge games are in the cards, but this matters the most for one player: Alessio Milivojevic.

Oct 10, 2026; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) hands the ball to running back Marvis Parrish (21) during the third quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There may not be any direct storylines to follow with Milivojevic in terms of his connections to Northwestern, aside from maybe how he has taken over for former MSU QB Aiden Chiles, but in terms of how his season has been going, Northwestern may be the most important game of the year.

Why Northwestern Match Is Paramount for Alessio Milivojevic

• To say that the offense was struggling in their first couple of conference games would have been an understatement, as they simply could not get anything going through the air against both the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers.

• It is noteworthy to mention that both Wisconsin and Nebraska have great secondaries, but only putting up 16 total points, having a game with only 103 total passing yards, and lacking explosive plays in every drive is not enough to justify facing a difficult secondary.

Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic scrambles on a play against Illinois during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

• However, something seemed to change against the Illinois Fighting Illini once the second half came around, because both Milivojevic and MSU running back Jaziun Patterson began to rally the team, and they almost pulled off the double-digit comeback.

• In that game, Milivojevic went 22-of-26 passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while Patterson went for three scores of his own on the ground.

Opportunity To Rebound

• If the offense can keep producing like that against the Wildcats, then there will be something great to look forward to next season, and there will also be reason to hope for a bowl game this year, as there are plenty of opponents left on the schedule who are more manageable than Northwestern.

• However, if Milivojevic reverts back to the an inconsistent offense against the Wildcats, then there will be another long learning curve, and the rest of the season will look bleaker than ever before. It is not an exaggeration to say that Northwestern is the most paramount game of the year for Milivojevic. However, that goes for the rest of the Spartans too as they look to stay afloat.