Michigan State heads into its Big Ten opener with Nebraska in the kind of game that can split a room. The Spartans are coming off their first loss of the season, a setback at Notre Dame that left them 2-1, while Nebraska arrives unbeaten at 3-0. That contrast is exactly why the Spartans Wire staff couldn’t land in the same place on the outcome.
The matchup kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., and it brings together a Michigan State team trying to reset after a difficult night in South Bend and a Nebraska squad that has done nothing but win so far. The Cornhuskers have taken care of Ohio, Bowling Green and FCS foe North Dakota, but this is their first real power-conference test of the season.
The staff predictions reflect just how tight this one feels. Andrew Brewster sees Michigan State responding to the Notre Dame loss with a 20-17 win, writing, “I think Michigan State will come out of their loss to Notre Dame a better team. You hope that those lessons will help them.”
Cory Linsner, though, is leaning the other way. He has Nebraska winning 27-17 and pointed to the Spartans’ offense as the sticking point.
“The Michigan State result against Notre Dame gives some hope for the future of this season, seeing the Spartans compete at a high level. Unfortunately, the offense still has not showed me that it is going to be able to score enough points against a strong opponent like Nebraska.
A late score makes this look worse than it really is.”
Robert Bondy is also backing Michigan State, but by a wider margin, picking the Spartans 27-23. He said, “One of us has the Spartans' winning, and the other doesn't -- so where do I land? I'm going to stick with my preseason prediction of Michigan State winning a nail biter against the Cornhuskers.”
Bondy called it a true toss-up and said the turnover battle will be the key. He believes Michigan State’s defense can force mistakes from Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea and swing the game in the Spartans’ favor.
That’s the thread running through this one: a defense trying to tilt the field, an offense still looking to prove itself against a strong opponent, and a Nebraska team trying to show its perfect start can hold up against a bigger test.
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Alanna Bankston led Michigan State with 14 kills, while Malayah Long finished with 26 assists, but it was not enough to slow a Washington team that stayed perfect at 10-0. The Spartans are now 10-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, with the early setback creating an immediate test for how they respond in one of the nations toughest conferences. [Read more 🡒]
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Even in a lopsided result, there were a few Spartans efforts worth noting. Lola Munoz de Verger and Catherine Wolf combined for 10 saves, and the back line had to deal with wave after wave of Northwestern pressure. Michigan State never found the offensive breakthrough it needed, but the way it kept battling in the circle and in front of goal offered one of the few bright spots on a difficult day. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Made Its Strongest Early Season Statement Yet
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All three goals came in a seven-minute burst around halftime, the kind of stretch that can flip a conference match in a hurry and leave little doubt about which team seized control. The result pushed MSU to 3-0-0 in Big Ten play and 7-1-1 overall, the best league start in program history, and it gave the Spartans another reminder that their early-season momentum is no fluke. [Read more 🡒]