Michigan State added another name to its growing list of 2028 targets on Thursday, extending an offer to fast-rising Detroit King defensive lineman Elijah Willis.
Willis checks in as the No. 430 overall recruit in the 2028 class and the 47th-best defensive lineman, according to 247Sports. He also ranks as the state’s No. 9 prospect, and he shares a locker room with 2027 athlete commit Don Spillers, which gives the Spartans another built-in connection as they work to get ahead in the cycle.
The offer fits the kind of recruiting push Pat Fitzgerald and his staff have been making this week. With the team on a bye and stuck in the middle of a six-game losing streak, Fitzgerald has been using the window to strengthen relationships in the 2028 class and beyond. Michigan State has already been active with top targets, including four-star running back Cartae Ligon, who was recently hosted by the staff, while Devon Spalding also stopped in to check on him this week.
Willis is hardly the only high-level name Michigan State is chasing, but he is exactly the type of in-state prospect the Spartans need to keep close. His offer sheet already includes Iowa, Nebraska, Washington, and Wisconsin, along with Power Four bids from Iowa State and Cincinnati. That sets up what could turn into a Big Ten-heavy fight for one of Michigan’s best young players.
There’s urgency behind all of it. Michigan State’s current results have left plenty of frustration in East Lansing, with another bowl-free season looming unless something changes fast. Still, Fitzgerald is trying to build something that lasts, and this class is where the groundwork starts.
Dan Bartholomae is expected to give him that opportunity this offseason, and while the transfer portal will dominate December, January, and February, the 2028 class will soon take center stage. For Michigan State, landing a player like Willis would be a strong early step - especially in a recruitment that, on paper, looks like one the Spartans should be able to seriously compete for.
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Michigan Just Handed Spartans Fans Fresh Rivalry Ammo
A close win over Rutgers was supposed to be about settling things on the field, but Kyle Whittingham managed to stir the pot afterward with a few words that will travel well beyond one Saturday night. The Michigan coach said he is very interested in being part of the Michigan State rivalry, calling it not the biggest one, but a big one, a framing that is sure to catch the attention of Spartans fans who already know how quickly this matchup can harden into talking points.
Whittinghams comments have already drawn comparisons to former Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith and his own controversial remarks about the rivalry, adding another layer to a season that has not gone smoothly for Michigan fans. With dissatisfaction growing around Whittinghams performance and the teams rocky start, the rivalry chatter is landing at a time when every word feels magnified, and it gives Spartans supporters fresh material to keep in their back pocket the next time these programs cross paths. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Gets Another Rivalry Night Test Fans Dread
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The setting only sharpens the stakes for a series that has long tilted toward Michigan, which owns the historical edge and has won the last four meetings, all under the lights. With both programs now working under new coaches, the rivalry is entering another reset point, and for Spartans fans, the timing and the venue make this one feel like a familiar test with a fresh wrinkle. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Gets A Chance To Rewrite A Painful Big Ten Ending
Michigan State will get an immediate shot at turning the page on a frustrating Big Ten finish after the conference released the bracket and schedule for the 2026 Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans landed the No. 4 seed in the new eight-team field and open in the quarterfinals against No. 5 seed Washington, with the tournament beginning Wednesday at Energizer Park in St. Louis.
The format adds a fresh wrinkle to the race, since the title game is set for Nov. 13 at the home site of the highest remaining seed. For Michigan State, that means the path back to the leagues biggest stage starts with a familiar kind of pressure, one that offers a chance to rewrite how this Big Ten ending looks if the Spartans can handle their opening test. [Read more 🡒]