Michigan State is still sticking with Alessio Milivojevic at quarterback, but the leash is getting shorter by the week.
What looked like a promising start has quickly turned into a stretch filled with pressure, turnovers and a whole lot of doubt. After back-to-back rough outings against Notre Dame and Nebraska, the Spartans are left wondering whether Milivojevic can still be the guy who steadies this offense and keeps the season from slipping further.
That question would have sounded a lot different a few weeks ago. Milivojevic finished last season by starting Michigan State’s final four games and looking pretty darn good in the process.
The Spartans only won once in that stretch, but that victory was also their only conference win of the year. They also pushed another opponent to overtime and led a ranked Iowa team in the fourth quarter before eventually losing the lead.
Even without the wins, that finish gave coaches and fans enough to believe there was real potential there. When 2026 began, Milivojevic wasn’t lighting up scoreboards, but he was doing the job the way a quarterback should: protecting the ball, moving the offense and keeping Michigan State in position to win. Through two games, the Spartans were 2-0, and he was doing exactly what was asked.
Then the wheels started to wobble.
Over the last two games, Milivojevic has looked less like a calm game manager and more like a quarterback getting squeezed by the moment. The offensive line has been a major problem, and the early injury to Connor Moore hasn’t helped. With pressure coming fast and often, it’s been hard for him to find any rhythm or settle into the offense.
But the line doesn’t explain everything.
As the Spartans have fallen behind by multiple scores for long stretches, Milivojevic has started forcing throws into tighter windows than he was earlier in the season. The quarterback who once seemed willing to take what was there now looks like someone trying to force a solution on his own. The result has been ugly: 10 sacks in the past two games, three interceptions, no touchdowns and just 165.5 passing yards per game.
That’s a tough stretch for any quarterback, especially one who entered the season with real expectations attached to him.
The situation has also led to a noticeable shift in how Michigan State is using backup Cam Fancher. Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan has been getting Fancher involved more often than he did in the first two games, and while that could simply be part of the plan, it also feels like a way to try to spark an offense that needs one badly.
Milivojevic is no longer operating with the freedom of a young quarterback playing loose. He’s trying to carry a program that hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2021, and that pressure is starting to show up in the way he plays.
Michigan State still needs him to be the quarterback it thought it had after that strong finish to 2025. The problem is that the room for error is shrinking fast, and the questions are only getting louder.
Now comes Wisconsin, fresh off a stunning 17-point comeback win over ranked Penn State. The Spartans could still be dealing with significant injuries, and the offensive line has to find a way to keep Milivojevic upright long enough for him to operate.
But the biggest piece of this is still on the quarterback himself. Michigan State needs him to calm down, trust what he sees and stop trying to make every play at once.
He doesn’t have to be spectacular. He just has to be the composed, efficient quarterback who gave the Spartans hope in the first two weeks.
Milivojevic remains the starter. The patience around him, though, is running thin. Saturday in Madison could say a lot about whether he can turn this around before the questions become even harder to ignore.
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One possible piece is tight end Carson Gulker, the Ferris State transfer who has drawn notice for his athleticism and versatility. Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan said Gulker may be in line for more playing time as Michigan State tries to be more efficient with its personnel, though his blocking still needs work before he can become a major factor. [Read more 🡒]
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For Michigan State, the timing is especially tricky because the backfield picture has shifted so suddenly, forcing the staff to reshuffle around Edwards absence. Wisconsins recent surge adds another test, and both coaches have acknowledged the stakes of where each team stands entering the matchup. The Spartans are trying to steady an offense under pressure, while the Badgers are leaning into a strong response after a dramatic victory that changed the tone around their season. [Read more 🡒]