Spartan Podcaster Picks Michigan State to Beat Nebraska in Lincoln

Nebraska and Michigan State will come into Saturday’s game having traversed very similar trajectories so far in 2025: both teams are 3-1; both were undefeated in the non-conference, with wins over Power Four conference opponents; and both most recently lost to a ranked Big Ten team. The Huskers, of course, fell to Sparty’s in-state rival Michigan, 30-27, while MSU fell to USC 45-31 in LA.

I talked to Travis Tyler, one of the hosts of the Spartan Savants Podcast, to get the Michigan State perspective on the upcoming game.

Interview with Travis Tyler, Host of the Spartan Savants Podcast

Head coach Jonathan Smith is in Year 2 of his tenure in East Lansing. Coming off a solid tenure at his alma mater, Oregon State, he led the Spartans to a 5-7 record last year. The team appears to be trending up this season. What’s the current view of Coach Smith among Michigan State fans?

The hiring of Coach Smith and his staff was initially received very positively, even drawing comparisons to Mark Dantonio in regards to his plans for recruiting and development and how he viewed the program. The 5-7 record last season and not being competitive really at all in conference play was a setback in Year 1. Year 2 started with optimism. You can see progress toward the vision, but the defense is not good enough to compete in the Big Ten, drawing more negative feedback for this staff. Overall, it's an upward trend but a mixed bag. We want to see him win more games and show more emotion on the sidelines when appropriate. And in this era of college football, fans are growing impatient, particularly with a new AD who did not hire Smith.

Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles appears to be the real deal. He’s completing over 68% of his passes for 868 yards and 9 touchdowns with only one interception. He can also run the ball. What have you seen from Chiles so far this season? How do you think he will handle a hostile road environment in Lincoln?

Chiles seems to have taken clear steps forward. He's putting up those numbers you mentioned despite running for his life every time he drops back. He's also severely cut down on turnovers since the middle of last season. Sometimes the accuracy is still off, but he has a big arm, electric playmaking ability, and makes smarter decisions these days. He also looks much more comfortable and under control. MSU brought QB coach Jon Boyer over from Oregon State in the offseason and it seems to have helped greatly.

MSU has given up at least 40 points in their two games against Power Four conference opponents: 40 against Boston College, and 45 against USC. Is the defense a concern at this point? Or are there other factors that led to those numbers?

Yes, the defense is a concern. There's no pass rush and receivers run open all over the field. It's been that way for years at this point, and no amount of coaching changes or transfers have been able to fix it. The run defense was good until the USC game, which saw MSU lose both its starting linebackers in the first half. They still struggled to stop the run in that game while those guys played, but it was an impossible ask once they were out.

Nebraska and Michigan State have had some absolute classics over the years. The teams are actually an even 4-4 since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011. I always felt like this was a great, emerging rivalry before the divisions changed and the conference expanded. How is this game viewed in the Spartan Common Fans’ eyes?

I agree it seemed like a budding rivalry in the past, and games have been exciting, particularly once we were able to be competitive and eventually actually beat you guys lol. But I honestly don't think we've thought as much about it over the last decade or so. It just seems like another game. Business as usual.

What have you seen from Nebraska and does it make you feel better or worse about the Spartans’ chances on Saturday?

Haven't gotten to watch much of Nebraska, but a couple of our guys have some animosity toward Dylan Raiola for some reason. I covered a game of his in high school, and the talent was pretty clear, so the raw play-making ability and the strong arm he has scare me against this secondary, especially since it looks like you've been doing a good job of spreading the ball around. Plus his mobility in eluding the pass rush, which, like I've said, doesn't really exist with our defense. Playing in Lincoln overall makes us feel worse, as we haven't fared well on the road in this series.

Michigan State wins if ______.

MSU wins if the offense can click and the defense avoids big plays. Missed tackles have been an issue and allowed teams to stay in games and prolong drives, hurting our ability to finish, close out, and overall get off the field and give the ball back to the offense.

Nebraska wins if ______.

Nebraska wins if its defense can make MSU one-dimensional and make Chiles work behind the chains. Both teams have offenses that can do work and put up points, the defense that performs best, especially in key moments, wins this game.

Final score prediction?

MSU 38 Nebraska 24

Author’s note: Thanks to Travis Tyler, one of the hosts of the Spartan Savants Podcast, for sharing his expertise with the Common Fans. Both the Common Fan Podcast (Nebraska) and the Spartan Savants Podcast (Michigan State) are members of The College Huddle, the largest fan-led online college sports podcast community, made up of one podcast from each fan base represented.

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