Michigan State’s trip to UCLA could come with a new layer of uncertainty after the Spartans’ injury picture took another hit Wednesday night.
Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic and running back Jaziun Patterson were among the players listed as questionable on the Big Ten’s first availability report ahead of MSU’s game at No. 10 UCLA on Saturday, Oct.
- Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
The conference will issue two more updates before the final report, which arrives two hours before kickoff.
Milivojevic’s status matters in a major way. Backup quarterback Cam Fancher is still out, leaving first-year freshman Kayd Coffman as the next man up after he handled the No. 2 role the past two weeks in losses to Illinois and Northwestern. Coffman also took his first college snaps late in the Spartans’ loss at Wisconsin after Fancher exited with what appeared to be a knee injury.
Milivojevic has opened the last 11 games for Michigan State, dating back to the final four games of 2025.
Patterson, an Iowa transfer, has taken over the starting running back job since Cam Edwards suffered a season-ending knee injury against Nebraska on Sept. 26. Sophomore Marvis Parrish, a Western Kentucky transfer, has been working as the No. 2 back, with junior Brandon Tullis next in line.
MSU will also be without linebacker and captain Jordan Hall for the fourth game this season. Cornerbacks Tre Bell, Tyran Chappell and Charles Brantley, along with wide receiver Charles Taplin, are also listed as out.
Linebackers Brady Pretzlaff and Caleb Wheatland, plus left tackle Ben Murawski, are questionable after missing Saturday’s 24-21 loss to Northwestern.
Other Spartans ruled out include cornerback Keshawn Williams, fullback Jay Coyne, offensive lineman Tristan Comer and tight end Joe Caudill. Running back Darrin Jones Jr. is also questionable.
UCLA has its own quarterback issue, with starter Nico Iamaleava expected to miss the rest of the season. The Bruins also list defensive backs Rodrick Pleasant and Tao Johnson; wide receivers Mikey Matthews and Jonah Smith; and offensive linemen Sam Yoon and Jordan Davis as out. Offensive lineman Eugene Brooks is questionable.
Michigan State, now 2-5 overall and 0-4 in the Big Ten, is off next week before heading to Ann Arbor to play Michigan on Nov. 7. The time and TV designation are still to be determined.
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An October exhibition at the Breslin Center turned into a showcase of how intense Michigan State fans can be, but it also brought a reminder from Tom Izzo about where the line should be. When UConn coach Dan Hurley was met with hostile chants during the game, Izzo stepped in and asked the crowd to stop, even as the No. 5 Huskies went on to beat No. 6 Michigan State 78-70.
The game itself still had the feel of a big-stage meeting between two nationally respected programs, with both coaches showing plenty of appreciation for the other side afterward. Izzo and Hurley each praised the opposing team and coaching, leaving the Spartans with a result they did not want but also a clear message from their own coach about how he wants the home environment handled. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremy Fears Jr. Just Gave Michigan State Fans A New Worry
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The bigger worry for the Spartans came in the second half, when Fears gave the fan base a scare after appearing to deal with an ankle issue. Even in a game that did not count in the standings, his health matters to a team trying to sort out its backcourt and tighten up before another exhibition against Marquette, especially with UConns rebounding edge serving as a reminder of how quickly preseason games can expose issues. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State May Have A Bigger Jeremy Fears Jr. Story Brewing
Michigan States exhibition loss to No. 4 UConn still gave the Spartans a useful look at where things stand early, and Jeremy Fears Jr. made sure he stayed at the center of it. The sophomore guard led Michigan State with 23 points and eight assists, and he looked more explosive than he did a year ago, punctuating the night with a one-handed dunk that stood out even in a game the Spartans ultimately dropped 78-70.
The bigger takeaway, though, may be how much Fears can shape everything around him if this version sticks. Michigan State also got 11 points from freshman guard Jasiah Jervis, while the starting center spot remains unsettled after Jesse McCulloch played well enough to challenge the expected starter Anton Bonke. For a team still sorting out its rotation, Fears jump is the kind of development that can change the ceiling in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]