Why Penn State Game is Crucial for MSU's Veterans

The Michigan State Spartans have a few veteran players who want to get a win against Penn State.

Michigan State's Jordan Hall looks on from the sideline during the first quarter in the game against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Michigan State Spartans play the Penn State Nittany Lions at Spartan Stadium this Saturday. 

Neither team has picked up a conference win this season, and both need to win out to reach a bowl game. It is not the most spectacular game between the two storied programs in either program’s history. 

MSU and PSU have not met since the end of the 2023 season, as the Spartans were preparing to hire Jonathan Smith as their next head coach, marking the end of a dark period in the program’s history. 

Not many players remain from that team, but the Nittany Lions dominated the Spartans in that game, 42-0. It was a poor performance from MSU to close out a lost season. 

For the players who are still on this Spartan team and played in that game, this matchup with the Nittany Lions is personal. Let’s explain why some players may have some extra motivation for this game. 

MSU was embarrassed by the Nittany Lions at Ford Field in 2023, and despite the team not playing well, the players were still not thrilled with losing a game in that fashion. 

Players like Jordan Hall, Alex VanSumeren, Jalen Thompson, and Darius Snow, who all played in that game, will hope to beat Penn State for the first time since the 2021 season. 

Michigan State's Jalen Thompson, right, tackles Florida Atlantic's Cam Fancher during the fourth quarter on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Many of the Nittany Lions on the current roster did not play in the 2023 game, but those who did hoped to build a winning streak against the Spartans. 

Snow, who is the longest-tenured Spartan, should lead the rest of the group as they try to go on a big winning streak and make a bowl game for the first time since 2021. 

Michigan State's Darius Snow gets the crowd pumped up during the first overtime against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This game is not ceremonial, despite the winner getting the famed Land Grant Trophy. A spot in the College Football Playoff is not on the line, and the winner still needs a miracle to reach bowl eligibility. 

If the Spartans want to win this game, they will have to rely on their seniors and experienced players to secure the victory. They understand what a win against Penn State would mean, despite the Nittany Lions not being the powerhouse they once were. 

Who knows what could happen if MSU wins this game? Smith just needs a win somehow, some way.

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