Why Wisconsin Trip Has Become Massive for MSU, Fitzgerald
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EAST LANSING -- Michigan State is facing legitimate adversity for the first time in the Pat Fitzgerald era.
The Spartans got outplayed at home against Nebraska on Saturday, losing 31-13. That was MSU's second consecutive loss, but things felt relatively positive after Michigan State put up a decent fight at No. 3 Notre Dame the previous week. No such grace was there after the loss to the Cornhuskers.
What only makes matters worse is the number of injuries the team is suddenly dealing with. Fitzgerald announced on Monday that star running back Cam Edwards is out for the remainder of the season, which is a massive blow to an offense that is really struggling.
He declined to provide any other injury updates, but some other starters whose status moving forward is unknown include: corner Tre Bell, corner Tyran Chappell, linebacker Jordan Hall, linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, and offensive lineman Conner Moore. A few other contributors also went down at different points during the Nebraska game.
Tougher-Than-Anticipated Challenge at Wisconsin
Wisconsin and Michigan State had very different Saturdays. While MSU was getting rolled over at home by the Cornhuskers, the Badgers were engineering a 17-point comeback on the road at then-No. 13 Penn State. Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell entered the 2026 season firmly on the hot seat, but that kind of win is one that will drastically drop the temperature, at least temporarily.
"I was out for a little while, so I got a chance to watch a lot of games just as a fan," Fitzgerald said while discussing Wisconsin. "It's not been a yellow brick road, and [Fickell has] stayed the course; he's stayed convicted. I mean, you can tell this is a Luke Fickell team. They're physical, they're tough. The way they responded Saturday in one of the toughest places to play in this league, at night especially, was really, really impressive."
Headed into the season, the thought of playing at Wisconsin didn't seem too bad. The Badgers were supposed to be 2-2, with losses to Notre Dame and the Nittany Lions. Notre Dame took care of Wisconsin (though things were close there for a bit), but now Wisconsin's fanbase has essentially gotten an adrenaline shot following the sort of signature win that MSU has woefully been missing.
The atmosphere in Madison this weekend probably won't be Camp Randall in full force, but it's not going to be the sleepy crowd Michigan State could've gotten had Penn State held onto its lead. Watching that game, it felt like PSU lost it more than Wisconsin won it, but how the sausage is made means approximately zilch when it comes to winning in Happy Valley.
Testing the Foundation
What makes this game so key is that it will be the first time Fitzgerald's vision and foundation at Michigan State will really be under fire. Jonathan Smith also had his own idea for a foundation at MSU, but it crumbled pretty quickly.
The Spartans have looked like a program that is at least building toward something in all four games so far, but the loss to Nebraska probably marks the end of the honeymoon phase between Fitzgerald and the Michigan State fan base. There isn't that much of an appetite for a longer rebuild in East Lansing when the program already is in a four-year bowl drought.
Going back to the injuries mentioned earlier, MSU now has to figure out life without Edwards. The offense was already struggling mightily with him in the lineup, and now the Spartans are left without their top running back and, by far, the best playmaker on that side of the ball. Hall's status is also uncertain, and Michigan State certainly cannot afford to be without him.
This is why this game will reveal so much. MSU is going on the road to play a team that is playing better football than it is right now. That team also has a rejuvenated fan base behind it, and at least one of the Spartans' best players is now completely out of the picture.
Weaker foundations crumble in these spots, and one truth of the transfer portal era is that building a strong foundation is very difficult. Plenty of players in Michigan State's two-deep right now are one-year rentals from the transfer portal. It can be easy for those players to mentally check out a bit after a few losses.
If Fitzgerald has a truly strong foundation, there won't be any obvious drop-off on Saturday. It's tough to go on the road, and that win at Penn State is impressive, but Wisconsin really doesn't look like a noticeably better team than Nebraska. The Badgers' defense may be better than Nebraska's, but their offense was very unimpressive for about 3.5 quarters against the Nittany Lions.
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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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