Michigan State finally has a homecoming kickoff time that feels like a gift to everybody in the building.
The Spartans’ Oct. 10 matchup with Illinois in East Lansing is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, giving Spartan Stadium that sweet spot between afternoon sun and evening atmosphere. After a rough stretch on the field, it’s at least a win for the fans: a workable start time, a homecoming setting, and none of the strange scheduling quirks that have popped up around Michigan State lately.
That matters a little more because the Spartans are trying to steady themselves after back-to-back losses. The good news on the schedule front is that the weird kickoff times are easing up for a bit.
Michigan State’s game at Wisconsin is set for 12:30 p.m. ET, and now the Illinois date lands in that ideal 3:30 window for a home game.
This is Michigan State’s only other 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff this season, and it came in what has been the Spartans’ best game so far. That alone makes the time slot worth watching.
Illinois arrives with plenty going on of its own. Katin Houser will be the second former Michigan State starting quarterback to return to East Lansing this season, and he’ll have every reason to want to beat his old team. The Illini also just fired their defensive coordinator and are searching for answers after people started questioning Bret Bielema again.
That’s familiar territory for Bielema, and it sets up what should be a close one. Illinois is a step further along in its rebuild, but the matchup still looks like one of those games where neither side gets much room to breathe. Bielema has a habit of making things uncomfortable for Michigan State, too.
So while the Spartans may still be hunting for stability, at least homecoming comes with a kickoff that makes sense.
In Other News...
Michigan State Now Faces A Bigger Problem Than The Nebraska Loss
The Nebraska loss itself was ugly enough for Michigan State, but the bigger concern coming out of Lincoln was the damage done to the roster. The Spartans were already thin in key spots, and the injury situation started before kickoff when starting cornerback Tre Bell was hurt in warmups and never made it into the game.
It only got worse from there. Running back Cam Edwards and offensive lineman Connor Moore went down on the same play, and defensive leader Jordan Hall also left with a leg injury after being taken off the field on a cart, leaving Michigan State with plenty to sort through beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Bigger Offensive Problem Than Fans Feared
Michigan States offense has looked increasingly out of sync over the last few games, and the numbers underline just how much work remains. Through four games, the Spartans have managed only 88 points and nine touchdowns, both among the lowest marks in the Big Ten, while quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been dealing with plenty of pressure, sacks and interceptions as the unit struggles to find any sort of rhythm.
The bigger concern is that the problems have not been limited to execution. Injuries have already thinned out the group and left the staff trying to patch together answers on the fly, with the offensive line and backfield both taking hits that make every snap feel a little more fragile. Michigan State is still searching for stability, but the margin for error keeps shrinking as the offense tries to get healthy enough to even resemble what it was supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Faces A Depth Chart Test Against Wisconsin
Michigan State left its trip to Nebraska with more than one injury concern, and the timing could not be worse with Wisconsin next on the schedule. Running back Cam Edwards and linebacker Jordan Hall were among the players hurt in the game, leaving the Spartans to sort through a depth chart that may look different by the time they line up again.
The backfield is especially worth watching because backup Jaziun Patterson handled relief work well after Edwards exited, and the staff is already leaning on him as it prepares for the next matchup. The bigger question now is how Michigan State will piece together its roster across the board if the injury list forces more changes, with the full extent of those setbacks still unclear. [Read more 🡒]