Michigan State and Illinois both enter Saturday’s matchup in the same rough spot, sitting at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play after three straight losses for the Spartans and a Purdue upset that ended the Boilermakers’ 19-game skid against conference opponents. And on Wednesday night, both teams gave a first look at who might and might not be available when they meet.
For Michigan State, the biggest change on the initial report is linebacker Caleb Wheatland landing in the “OUT” column after leaving last week’s game against Wisconsin. Wheatland had been helping fill in for some of the other injuries the Spartans have dealt with at linebacker, so his absence adds another layer to a room that has already been stretched.
The three names listed as questionable will draw the most attention. Cam Fancher still gives MSU a change-of-pace option at quarterback, cornerback Tre Bell is a starter, and linebacker Jordan Hall is one of the team’s top players.
Fancher went down against Wisconsin with a leg injury, so being in the questionable group is at least a better sign than a harder designation. Bell played last week, though the Spartans leaned more heavily on Charles Brantley and true freshman Jeremiah Favorite as the game wore on.
Hall sat out against the Badgers.
Michigan State’s full report also included CB NiJhay Burt, RB Cam Edwards, CB Keshawn Williams, CB Tyran Chappell, FB Jay Coyne, OL Tristan Comer and TE Joey Caudill as out.
Illinois has its own set of names to watch, starting with running back Ca’Lil Valentine, who leads the team with 50 carries and 225 rushing yards this season. He is out for Saturday.
Defensive back Tywan Cox, who started for the Illini last week, is doubtful. Guard Champ Smith, who has started in both of his appearances this season, is questionable.
The Illini also listed WR Alex Perry, LB Jack Paris, DL Carter Smith, OL TJ McMillen and TE BJ Thurman as out, while OL Dezmond Schuster and DB Tywan Cox were among the doubtful group and OL Kai Pritchard was questionable.
More availability updates are still coming, with additional reports due Thursday night, Friday night and again at about 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
In Other News...
Michigan State Gets A Revealing Look At Illinois Before Homecoming
Michigan States upcoming homecoming opponent comes into the matchup carrying plenty of conversation points, and a fresh look at Illinois makes clear why the Spartans cannot treat this as a routine conference week. An interview with Isaac Ambrose of The Champaign Room painted the Fighting Illini as a team still working through the pressure of heightened expectations, with questions around quarterback Katin Housers play and a supporting cast that has had to shoulder different kinds of responsibility as the season has unfolded.
The more revealing part for Michigan State is on the other side of the ball, where Illinois has had to navigate both injuries and changes in how the defense is being run. Ambrose touched on those complications, along with the recent coaching turnover that has altered the backdrop for the Illini heading into East Lansing. For a Spartan team trying to get a read on what kind of test it will face, the interview offered a useful snapshot, but also left enough uncertainty to make Saturdays matchup worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Is Sending A Clearer Message About Football Money
Michigan State athletic director Dan Bartholomew is making the case that football funding needs to be a more visible priority, and he did it in a letter aimed directly at fans. In it, he laid out why the program needs stronger backing, pointing to the dollars required for roster development and stadium renovations while tying those needs to the departments broader push through Spartan Ventures and the For Sparta campaign.
The message also comes with a bigger-picture legislative angle, as Bartholomew noted the possible effect of the Protect College Sports Act on athletics revenue-sharing rules. For a program trying to keep pace in a changing model, the issue is not just how much money can be raised, but how clearly the department communicates where it is going and why it matters. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Former QB In A Game It Desperately Needs
Saturday brings an unusual kind of familiarity to Spartan Stadium, with former Michigan State quarterback Payton Houser returning as part of the Illinois lineup. Housers path has been a winding one since leaving East Lansing, eventually taking him to East Carolina for a starting job and then on to Illinois, where he has added more game experience to an already busy college career.
For Michigan State, the matchup comes with a little extra edge because it is facing a player who knows the program from the inside while still trying to steady itself in the present. Housers story has been one of movement and opportunity, but the Spartans are the side with the bigger immediate need as they try to make Saturday count in a game that carries more than the usual November weight. [Read more 🡒]