Michigan State has found the engine for its offense, and his name is Cam Edwards.
Through two games, the veteran transfer has gone from intriguing addition to the Big Ten’s leading rusher, piling up 250 yards on 48 carries after another big day in Week 2. Edwards followed a 98-yard debut with a much louder statement against Eastern Michigan, where he carried 21 times for 152 yards and added one catch for five yards.
That production put him at the top of the conference rushing chart, ahead of Iowa’s Kamari Moulton, Nebraska’s Jamal Rule, Purdue’s Fame Ijeboi and Rutgers’ Antwan Raymond. Edwards’ 250 yards currently top the Big Ten, while Moulton sits at 240 and Rule at 210.
The numbers only tell part of the story. Edwards has been at his most dangerous when Michigan State gets close to the goal line, where his power has become just as important as his burst.
He scored his first Spartan touchdown in Week 1, then found the end zone twice more Saturday against Eastern Michigan. That gives him three rushing touchdowns on the season, which ties him for third in the Big Ten behind UCLA’s Wayne Knight, who has six, and Purdue’s Fame Ijeboi, who has four.
Michigan State had trouble finishing drives in Week 1, but that changed quickly in a 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan. Edwards’ ability to finish runs helped the Spartans turn opportunities into points.
None of this should come as a shock to anyone who followed Edwards’ path to East Lansing. He arrived through the transfer portal with a reputation already attached, and plenty of Spartans fans had seen what he could do last season at UConn, where he emerged as one of the nation’s top running backs.
What he has done in two games matches the hype.
Now comes the real test. Michigan State is about to open a stretch of 10 difficult games with a Week 3 matchup against Notre Dame, and the Spartans will lean on Edwards to help control the clock and tilt time of possession their way. That may be one of their best chances to hang around with the Fighting Irish.
If Michigan State is going to do that, Edwards will need to raise his game again.
In Other News...
Michigan States Blowout Already Revealed A New Battle To Watch
Michigan States 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan did more than move the Spartans to 2-0 in 2026. It also gave the coaching staff a long look at a roster that was deep enough to keep rotating bodies on both sides of the ball, especially up front, where the offensive line shuffle continued to be part of the story.
Charles Taplin added his first collegiate touchdown to the mix, while several freshmen got their first non-special teams snaps in game action. The bigger long-term takeaway, though, may have come at nickelback, where a new competition is beginning to take shape and could become one of the more interesting depth-chart battles to follow as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Fans Have A New Offensive Debate After Saturdays Surge
Michigan States 35-7 win over Eastern Michigan gave first-year coach Pat Fitzgerald another clean step forward, but it also added a new layer to the conversation around the offense. The Spartans are 2-0, and while Alessio Milivojevic steadied himself after a slow start, the unit looked far more dynamic once the game opened up in the second half. Cam Edwards kept the ground game moving with a big day, showing how much easier things can look when the run game is setting the tone.
Cam Fancher also gave the offense a different rhythm as the backup quarterback, and that change of pace may be the part fans keep circling back to after a comfortable win. Fitzgerald has reasons to feel good about where the team is headed, but the way the quarterback rotation unfolded, paired with Edwards impact and Milivojevics uneven start, left just enough to wonder how this offense will look when the competition gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Finally Gave Fans A Reason For Real Optimism
Michigan State finally had a performance that gave its fan base something sturdier than hope to grab onto, even if it came against Eastern Michigan. The Spartans got more from their key playmakers on offense, with Charles Taplin emerging as a useful young target and Cam Edwards helping energize the ground game. After a stretch of uneven play, the broader point was hard to miss: the pieces looked more connected, and the offense showed signs it could carry some real weight.
The defense still left room for concern after giving up plenty of yardage in the first half, but it did respond better after intermission and added a forced fumble to the mix. That kind of uneven outing is hardly a finished product, yet it was enough to nudge the mood from frustration toward cautious optimism. For a fan base that has been waiting for a reason to believe, this was at least a small but meaningful step in that direction. [Read more 🡒]