Michigan State’s trip to Northwestern already had an odd feel to it, and Wednesday night’s availability report only sharpened that edge.
The Spartans are 2-4 overall and 0-3 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats are 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the league, ranked No.
- That’s enough to make this a notable matchup on its own, but the personal angles make it stand out even more: MSU head coach Pat Fitzgerald is facing his alma mater and the program he coached for 17 years for the first time, and Northwestern’s starting quarterback, Aidan Chiles, spent 2024 and most of 2025 starting for Michigan State.
Both teams released their initial availability reports Wednesday night, and Michigan State’s list is the one that jumps off the page.
The Spartans are dealing with major losses at cornerback and linebacker. They do not have any of the three corners who were regularly on the field when the roster was at full strength, and three of the team’s top four linebackers are also unavailable.
Michigan State did get one encouraging development: NiJhay Burt is off the injury report after missing the last two games because of the injury he suffered against Nebraska. He should be part of the Spartans’ starting cornerback group Saturday, with true freshman Jeremiah Favorite also expected to start and another freshman, KJ Deriso, likely rotating in.
At linebacker, Dion Crawford was injured during the Illinois game, but his absence from the availability report points to him being good to go. He is expected to start, with Cam Stodghill and DiMari Malone likely handling most of the snaps behind him.
Here is Michigan State’s initial report:
RB Cam Edwards (season), QB Cam Fancher, CB Tre Bell, CB Charles Brantley, LB Jordan Hall, CB Keshawn Williams, CB Tyran Chappell, RB Darrin Jones Jr., FB Jay Coyne, LB Caleb Wheatland, LB Brady Pretzlaff, OL Ben Murawski, OL Tristan Comer, TE Joe Caudill
Northwestern also has some important names on its report, including tight end Luke Dehnicke, who has been one of the Wildcats’ breakout players this season. He has missed the last two games and is doubtful for Saturday. Safety Robert Fitzgerald, who is no relation to Pat Fitzgerald and is the top player on Northwestern’s defense, is listed as questionable.
Northwestern’s availability report also included:
DB Josh Fussell, RB Daniel Anderson, LB Max Mohring, LB Jason Reynolds II, DL Callen Campbell, LB Qayvier Johnson, OL David Anchondo, OL Ezomo Oratokhai, OL Jacob Miller, TE Chris Petrucci
S Robert Fitzgerald, DB Damon Walters, DL Migo Jackson
In Other News...
Michigan State Faces A Northwestern Problem Fans Havent Seen In Years
Northwestern is bringing a look Michigan State does not see very often, and it comes at a time when the Spartans are still sorting out how they want to handle a Big Ten opponent with some old-school flavor. Under new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, the Wildcats have mixed in wing-T formations and receiver alignments that force defenses to process a lot at once, which makes the week as much about eye discipline and alignment as it is about tackling and leverage.
The challenge lands in a game with a few added layers of intrigue, too. Aidan Chiles is set to return to Spartan Stadium, and Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald will be lining up against his former team, giving the matchup a familiar backdrop even as the scheme on the other side looks anything but familiar. For the Spartans, the question is whether they can sort through the unusual looks quickly enough to keep Northwestern from turning a strange offensive plan into a real problem. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Has A Depth Problem At The Worst Time
Michigan State is running into the kind of midseason injury pileup every team dreads, and it is arriving at an awkward moment. Heading into Week 7 against Northwestern, the Spartans are dealing with a long list of unavailable players on both sides of the ball, leaving the staff to patch together a lineup that has already taken on plenty of wear.
The problems reach across the roster, with top cornerbacks Tre Bell and Charles Brantley out, linebackers Jordan Hall and Brady Pretzlaff sidelined, running back Cam Edwards unavailable and backup quarterback Cam Fancher also not expected to go. That means Michigan State will have to lean hard on depth pieces just to stay afloat against a Northwestern team led by former Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles, turning what should have been a routine October week into a test of survival. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Fitzgerald Faces His Old Program As Michigan State Gets A Warning
Michigan States meeting with Northwestern carries an extra layer of intrigue because Pat Fitzgerald is back on the sideline facing the program he once led, and the matchup has turned into a useful measuring stick for where the Spartans really stand. In a preview with Charlie Jacobs of Inside NU, the discussion centered not just on the coaching reunion, but on how Michigan States new direction under Fitzgerald is being viewed against a Northwestern team that knows his tendencies well.
There is also a warning wrapped into the conversation for Michigan State, since Jacobs pointed to an improved Aidan Chiles and emphasized that Northwestern has enough familiarity with the Spartans to make things uncomfortable if Michigan State is not sharp. The game comes with expectations on both sides, along with a few Spartans to keep an eye on, and Jacobs even offered a score prediction, but the bigger question is whether Michigan State can handle the pressure of this particular matchup against its old coachs former team. [Read more 🡒]