Michigan State is heading into its Oct. 17 game against Northwestern with a long injury list that leaves the Spartans down at least 14 players, including a heavy hit to the front seven and the secondary.
The preliminary availability report released Oct. 14 lists Mike linebacker Jordan Hall, will linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, cornerback Tre Bell, cornerback Charles Brantley and left tackle Ben Murawski as out for the noon kickoff on Peacock. MSU enters the game as an 8 1/2-point underdog.
Hall and Pretzlaff were back on the field together for the first time since Week 3 against Notre Dame when they played Oct. 10 against Illinois, but the reunion didn’t last long. Hall exited after 12 snaps with a shoulder injury and was seen on the sideline in a sling.
Pretzlaff went down four snaps later after taking a hit to the head and neck on a tackle. Behind them, Caleb Wheatland remains out for a second week after suffering an injury at Wisconsin on Oct. 3 and ending up in a boot.
Michigan State also lost both Bell and Brantley in the second half against Illinois, adding to a secondary that was already compromised. Keshawn Williams and Tyran Chappell were already on the injury report, and the absences forced freshmen Jeremiah Favorite and K.J. Deriso into most of the second-half snaps as the Spartans tried to rally in a 38-37 loss after a failed two-point conversion.
There was at least a little relief on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback NiJhay Burt is back after missing two games, and linebacker Dion Crawford is no longer listed after being helped off against Illinois.
Other MSU players listed out include running back Cam Edwards, whose knee injury is season-ending, quarterback Cam Fancher, running back Darrin Jones Jr., fullback Jay Coyne, and freshmen offensive linemen Tristan Comer and tight end Joe Caudill.
Wide receiver Charles Taplin III remains in play, though, with a questionable designation. The report will be updated again Thursday, Friday and two hours before Saturday’s kickoff.
Northwestern’s report is busy as well. The Wildcats have 10 players listed out: defensive back Josh Fussell; running back Daniel Anderson; linebackers Max Mohring, Qayvier Johnson and Jason Reynolds II; defensive lineman Callen Campbell; offensive linemen David Anchondo, Ezomo Oratokhai and Jacob Miller; and tight end Chris Petrucci. Linebacker Amare Jordan and tight end Luke Dehnicke are doubtful.
The Wildcats may also be without their leading tackler, safety Robert Fitzgerald, who is questionable. Defensive back Damon Walters and defensive lineman Migo Jackson are also questionable, while defensive backs Braden Turner and Timi Oke are listed probable.
In Other News...
Michigan State Faces A Week 7 Test That Could Change The Mood
Michigan State heads into Week 7 with more than just another Big Ten game on the schedule, because the trip to face Northwestern comes with a handful of storylines that make it feel bigger than the usual midseason grind. Pat Fitzgerald will see his former team on the other sideline, while quarterback Aidan Chiles gets a chance to respond after the Spartans have spent much of the season trying to find steadier footing and build on the improvements they have shown at times.
Northwestern brings a rushing attack that can stress a defense and force a game into the kind of rhythm the Wildcats prefer, which is part of what makes this matchup tricky for Michigan State. The Spartans need a cleaner performance to change the mood around the program, but the preview points to a tight, lower-scoring afternoon, with Northwestern projected to handle the spread and the total staying underneath. [Read more 🡒]
Spartans Keep Controlling Michigan In Rivalry That Just Got More Heated
The latest chapter in the Michigan State-Michigan soccer rivalry had the feel of a game both sides knew might tilt the mood of the season, and it delivered enough bite to match the stakes. At DeMartin Stadium, the Spartans struck first on Leo Connehs goal before Michigan answered with Michael Ramirezs penalty kick after a VAR review, leaving the rivals locked in a 1-1 draw and the Big Bear Trophy staying in East Lansing.
It was also the kind of meeting that rarely lets either side settle in, with physical play producing plenty of fouls and yellow cards as the tension kept building from one end of the pitch to the other. For Michigan State, the result preserves its place tied atop the Big Ten standings and adds another hard-earned notch in a rivalry that has only grown hotter. [Read more 🡒]
Fredrick Moore Gave Michigan State A Needed Reason For Hope
Fredrick Moore gave Michigan State a small but meaningful lift against Illinois, and for a team looking for signs of growth anywhere it can find them, that mattered. The junior wide receiver finished with two catches for 42 yards and a touchdown, producing the Spartans only receiving score of the game while also ranking second on the team in receiving yards.
Moores performance stood out because it came in a game where Michigan State needed somebody to create a spark through the air, and he did enough to show he can be part of the answer. With the Spartans still searching for more consistency on offense, his showing offered at least one reason to think there is something to build on in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]