Michigan State’s first six games under Pat Fitzgerald have produced the kind of mixed bag that tells you both where the program is improving and how far it still has to go.
The Spartans are 2-4, 0-3 in the Big Ten and staring at the same kind of late-season grind they know too well: trying to find four more wins in the final six games to get bowl eligible. They’ll try to start that push Saturday against Northwestern at noon on Peacock/NBC Sports Network, and the numbers from the midpoint of the season show a team with some real forward movement - and plenty of rough edges.
Fitzgerald’s grade so far lands at C-. He has kept the group steady through a frustrating stretch and has come across as a strong communicator and motivator.
Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan has brought some creativity to the play sheet, and Fitzgerald has leaned into a Dan Campbell-like willingness to go for it on fourth down. The run game has looked more like a Big Ten offense than it has at any point since 2021.
But the bigger issue remains obvious: Michigan State still lacks explosive plays, rarely tests defenses downfield, and needs more difference-makers to make the whole thing click. On defense, Joe Rossi has been dealing with a depth chart battered by injuries, many of them coming early in games and forcing constant adjustments.
The unit has settled in later, giving up 92 points in the first two quarters and only 26 after halftime, but the big-play problem is still there.
At quarterback, the Spartans get a C. Alessio Milivojevic finally put together a breakthrough against Illinois in last week’s 38-37 overtime loss, showing the kind of accuracy that helped him win the job over the final four games of 2025.
Even so, he has also held the ball too long too often, a habit that comes with a young quarterback processing things a beat slow. Senior transfer Cam Fancher offered a glimpse of what he could add as a runner before getting hurt against Wisconsin, but the bigger priority is clear: Milivojevic and freshman Kayd Coffman have to keep developing.
The running backs have been one of the more reliable areas, earning a B+. Senior Jaziun Patterson has handled the load since Cam Edwards went down with a season-ending knee injury, and his hard running has helped keep the offense balanced.
Edwards’ injury was a major setback because of the playmaking he brought. Going forward, MSU needs more from younger backs Marvis Parrish and Brandon Tullis so Patterson doesn’t keep carrying such a heavy burden.
The wide receiver group, though, gets a D-. Some of that is on Milivojevic’s difficulty getting throws into windows, but the larger issue is separation.
Too often the receivers have struggled to create space against defensive backs. Rodney Bullard Jr. and Chrishon McCray have combined for 42 catches and just one touchdown, with an average of 10.1 yards per catch.
Michigan transfer Fredrick Moore flashed against Illinois and looks like a receiver on the rise. The Spartans also need young speed to show up soon, with Samson Gash, Bryson Williams and Braylon Collier all mentioned as potential late-season pieces.
Tight end has been a steadier spot, grading out at B. Jayden Savoury has become the most consistent offensive producer, which says plenty about both his growth and the impact of Edwards’ injury and Patterson’s slow start.
The sophomore has become a dependable target for Milivojevic and can stress defenses. Brennan Parachek has had trouble with blocking assignments and ball security, including a costly fumble against Illinois.
Kai Rios has been solid as a blocker, and Carson Gulker, the Ferris State transfer and former quarterback, gave Sheridan another option last week that could open up more creativity.
Up front, the offensive line gets a C-. The numbers are not pretty: Michigan State has allowed 19 sacks, tied for sixth-most among the 138 FBS teams.
Run blocking has been uneven all season, and the injury shuffling on the left side - tackle Ben Murawski and guard Conner Moore - has forced the Spartans to keep adjusting calls. The right side, with guard Nick Sharpe and tackle Rakeem Johnson, is still a work in progress.
Center Trent Fraley, who starred at North Dakota State last season, has been the stabilizing force and could be in line for postseason recognition.
Defensively, the line has shown flashes but still gets a C-. Ben Roberts and Eli Coenen have formed a strong interior tandem, and young tackles Derrick Simmons and Mikeshun Beeler are making themselves part of the future.
Edge pressure remains the glaring issue. Michigan State’s seven sacks are tied for the 14th-fewest in FBS, and that has been a problem for much of the 2020s.
Linebacker is simply too battered to grade cleanly, so it gets an Incomplete. Jordan Hall and Brady Pretzlaff have both been limited by injuries, and the middle of Rossi’s defense has been hit harder than any other spot.
Backups Caleb Wheatland and Dion Crawford have also been banged up, and against Illinois the Spartans were down to their fifth, sixth and seventh options. The snaps for DiMari Malone and others should matter down the line, but this group needs a break, and the bye week after a trip to UCLA next week and before the Michigan game cannot come soon enough.
The secondary has taken its own beating and earns a D+. Captain Nikai Martinez has missed more tackles than usual, perhaps because he has had to do too much to cover for the injuries around him.
Devin Vaught has shown some promise as a downhill tackler at safety. On the outside, injuries to Tyran Chappell and Tre Bell have hurt badly, and Nos. 3 and 4 corners Charles Brantley and NiJhay Burt have also been out at times.
Michigan State has allowed 12.4 yards per catch, and the Spartans need Jeremiah Favorite and KJ Deriso to grow up fast.
Special teams comes in at B. Fitzgerald has been unhappy with the coverage and return units, and their output has been limited.
But Liam Boyd has been excellent, going 10-for-12 on field goals and putting 21 of his 28 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. Punter Rhys Dakin is leading the Big Ten with a 51.6-yard average that would set a program record, though his touch has lagged - only six of his 15 punts have landed inside the 20, and he tied for the conference high with four touchbacks.
In Other News...
Michigan State Still Has One Frustrating Problem It Cannot Escape
Michigan States latest outing offered a little bit of everything the Spartans have been trying to build around, from encouraging snaps by Jaziun Patterson and Ben Roberts to a defense that kept competing despite being down several starters. There were signs of fight on both sides of the ball, and for stretches the group looked capable of hanging around even while dealing with the kind of roster strain that has been part of the seasons backdrop.
Still, the same frustrating issues kept surfacing. Penalties wiped away momentum, missed chances on special teams mattered, and Alessios struggles only added to the sense that too many small mistakes are stacking up on a program already searching for stability. The effort was there, but Michigan State keeps running into the same problems at the worst possible moments, and until those cleaner details show up, the broader picture remains tough to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Brutal Test In Its West Coast Trip
Michigan States trip to the Rose Bowl brings one of the tougher assignments on its schedule, with a late afternoon kickoff in Pasadena set for about 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. It will be the eighth meeting between the Spartans and UCLA, and only their second as Big Ten opponents, adding a little more conference flavor to a matchup that has been spaced out over the years.
The timing alone makes this a tricky spot for a Michigan State team sitting at 2-5 under Pat Fitzgerald, especially against a UCLA group that has opened 6-0 in Bob Chesneys first season. For the Spartans, the challenge is obvious: try to steady things on a difficult West Coast stage against a Bruins team that has done nothing but win so far. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Showed Real Progress But One Problem Still Haunts Them
Michigan States trip to Northwestern offered a little of everything Graham Couch has come to look for when grading a performance: signs of progress, stretches of control and enough slippage to keep the review from feeling overly rosy. The offense moved better through the air and on the ground, the defense made life difficult for Northwestern and special teams even supplied some big moments, giving the Spartans a case that the operation is getting cleaner on multiple fronts.
Still, the lingering issue is the one that tends to decide close Big Ten games. Michigan State gave the ball away, left some chances on the field and eventually had a late special teams breakdown that overshadowed much of the good work that came before it. Even with the coaching staff drawing credit for its adjustments and overall plan, there were late-game decisions that invited second-guessing, which is what makes this one feel like progress with a stubborn reminder attached. [Read more 🡒]