Michigan State’s 2026 season is almost here, and with the Spartans still carrying plenty of uncertainty into kickoff, one thing does stand out: a handful of specific players will have an outsized say in how this year goes.
That’s the nature of swing players. The names usually make sense because football still runs through the positions that matter most.
But that also sharpens the focus. Michigan State doesn’t have a lot of room for guessing games, which means these guys have to deliver.
At the top of that list is WR Chrishon McCray.
McCray is projected to be Michigan State’s WR1 in 2026, and that comes after he spent last season buried behind Omari Kelly and Nick Marsh. But the résumé he brought from Kent State is impossible to ignore.
Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Golden Flashes, McCray caught 81 passes for 1,315 yards and 13 touchdowns. Nine of those scores came in 2024 alone, and four of them covered more than 55 yards.
That production came in spite of the fact that Kent State finished 1-11, with McCray serving as one of the few real bright spots on the offense. Even with defenses keying on him, they still couldn’t take him away.
He brings speed, can line up inside or outside, and pairs that explosiveness with route-running skill and body control. This is the year he gets the lead role for MSU, and he’s positioned to become one of the first names people mention when they talk about the Spartans this season.
In Other News...
Former Michigan State QB Just Changed A Big Ten Game On The 2026 Schedule
Aidan Chiles is getting a fresh start in the Big Ten after Northwestern officially named the former Michigan State quarterback its starter for the 2026 season. Chiles, who transferred to the Wildcats after stops at Michigan State and Oregon State, is set to open his Northwestern career against South Dakota State on Sept. 5, giving one of the conference's more intriguing quarterback storylines an immediate stage.
For Michigan State, Chiles' move adds another layer to a matchup that already carried plenty of interest on the 2026 schedule. It also puts him back under the spotlight in a system run by Chip Kelly, where the hope is that a new setting can unlock the kind of play that made him such a notable name in the portal in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Bell Is Giving Michigan State A Dangerous New Edge Early
Bell has given Michigan State a quick boost in the early going, and the recognition is already following. The senior was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and landed on Top Drawer Soccers Team of the Week after scoring twice in a 3-2 win over No. 7 North Carolina, a result that stands out even before the broader season picture comes into focus. She has three goals in three games, a strong start for a player who was already on the Hermann Trophy Forwards to Watch list and the Big Ten Player to Watch list.
For Michigan State, the bigger takeaway is what Bells form means as the schedule moves forward. The Spartans have upcoming games ahead, and having a senior forward who is producing early can change the way opponents approach them from the opening whistle. Bell has already shown she can tilt a game against a ranked team, and now the question is how much more dangerous this attack can become if that level holds. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Showed What It Wants This Team To Be
Michigan States leadership picture for 2026 is already taking shape, and it says plenty about what the program wants to emphasize on both sides of the ball. The Spartans announced six captains for the upcoming football season, spreading the responsibility across offense, defense and special teams with quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, center Trent Fraley, linebacker Jordan Hall, safety Nikai Martinez, linebacker Kenny Soares Jr. and punter Rhys Dakin all earning the role.
It is a group that reflects balance as much as talent, with Michigan State trusting voices from the huddle, the trenches, the back end and the kicking game to help set the tone. Pat Fitzgerald weighed in on the leadership group and where the team is headed after the announcement, a reminder that the Spartans are not just picking captains for show. They are signaling the kind of identity they expect this roster to carry into the season. [Read more 🡒]