Michigan State could be lining up with a very different look when it gets Wisconsin next, and the damage from Saturday’s Nebraska game may force several players into bigger jobs.
The Spartans went into that matchup with only linebacker Brady Pretzlaff officially listed out on the midweek availability reports. Corner Tyran Chappell had been tagged questionable all week before being ruled out on the game-day report released two hours before kickoff. By the time the game settled in, the injury list had grown much longer.
Michigan State lost starting corner Tre Bell during warm-ups. Running back Cam Edwards went down with what looked like a right knee injury, and starting left guard Conner Moore appeared to injure his back on the same play.
Linebacker Jordan Hall also seemed to hurt something in his left leg. Several other players were banged up as well.
For now, it’s unclear which of those injuries will linger. Pat Fitzgerald is scheduled to talk Monday, though he has usually been tight-lipped about injury updates before he has to be.
The Spartans will begin putting out availability reports again Wednesday, but those will only cover Wisconsin. If any of the Nebraska injuries stretch beyond that, Michigan State will need answers quickly.
Edwards looked like the most serious concern in real time. He took the hit directly on his planted right knee, grabbed at it immediately, then made his way to the medical tent before being carted off.
He also seemed visibly frustrated on the way out. Whether that ends up being season-ending or something less severe, him playing at Wisconsin would come as a major surprise.
If Edwards is out, Michigan State at least has options at running back. He had been the clear No. 1 and the team’s best offensive player so far, but that’s a position where the Spartans can survive better than most.
Jaziun Patterson handled the workload against Nebraska and finished with 16 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. The production was modest, but Fitzgerald liked what he saw.
"I thought Jazz Patterson ran his tail off," Pat Fitzgerald said after the game. "I thought he ran with some physicality and some violence."
Marvis Parrish should also see more work. The true sophomore transferred from Western Kentucky this offseason after putting up 779 scrimmage yards in 2025. Parrish may have the higher upside of the two backs, but Patterson’s Big Ten background from his time at Iowa makes him the cleaner bet to take over as the primary option.
Hall is a different problem entirely. Michigan State does have linebacker depth, but Hall is still the best player on that unit, and the drop-off is obvious when he’s not out there. Sorting out who fills that void depends in part on who else is healthy.
Pretzlaff should eventually handle Hall’s green-dot responsibilities once he returns from what appeared to be a concussion suffered against Notre Dame, though he was already starting alongside Hall. Caleb Wheatland, the former Maryland and Auburn transfer, would likely absorb a good portion of Hall’s snaps, especially on the outside rather than directly at MIKE. Wheatland is tied with Pretzlaff for third on the team in tackles with 17 through Week 4.
Dion Crawford also factors into the picture. He started in Pretzlaff’s place on Saturday and played 31 defensive snaps, but he was also among the Spartans who left the game with an injury.
On the offensive line, Moore’s status could shuffle things again. Michigan State has used a few different combinations at times, but the rotation was thinner against Nebraska, especially after Moore exited.
Luka Vincic would be the likely replacement, though the move would not be a simple one-for-one swap. Vincic plays right guard, while Moore is on the left side.
When Moore went down, Michigan State shifted starting right guard Nick Sharpe over to left guard and inserted Vincic on the right. Vincic appeared to hold up reasonably well, but the line still had a rough afternoon overall, giving up six sacks.
In Other News...
Michigan State Now Faces A Bigger Problem Than The Nebraska Loss
The Nebraska loss itself was ugly enough for Michigan State, but the bigger concern coming out of Lincoln was the damage done to the roster. The Spartans were already thin in key spots, and the injury situation started before kickoff when starting cornerback Tre Bell was hurt in warmups and never made it into the game.
It only got worse from there. Running back Cam Edwards and offensive lineman Connor Moore went down on the same play, and defensive leader Jordan Hall also left with a leg injury after being taken off the field on a cart, leaving Michigan State with plenty to sort through beyond the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces A Bigger Offensive Problem Than Fans Feared
Michigan States offense has looked increasingly out of sync over the last few games, and the numbers underline just how much work remains. Through four games, the Spartans have managed only 88 points and nine touchdowns, both among the lowest marks in the Big Ten, while quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been dealing with plenty of pressure, sacks and interceptions as the unit struggles to find any sort of rhythm.
The bigger concern is that the problems have not been limited to execution. Injuries have already thinned out the group and left the staff trying to patch together answers on the fly, with the offensive line and backfield both taking hits that make every snap feel a little more fragile. Michigan State is still searching for stability, but the margin for error keeps shrinking as the offense tries to get healthy enough to even resemble what it was supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]
Kirk Cousins And Cody White Are Fueling A Raiders Start Spartans Love
Kirk Cousins is off to a sharp start in Las Vegas, and for Michigan State fans there is a familiar name helping drive it. Through the first three games of the 2026 NFL season, Cousins has the Raiders sitting at 3-0 while throwing for 661 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions, with completion rate hovering near 70 percent. Cody White, meanwhile, has turned limited touches into a major impact, giving the Raiders another playmaker in the passing game.
The connection between the two has already shown up in the biggest moments, with multiple game-winning scores helping shape this unbeaten start. For Spartans watching from afar, it is an easy storyline to follow because it has the feel of something sustainable if Cousins keeps operating at this level and White keeps making every target count. The only question now is how long this early Raiders chemistry can keep deciding games late. [Read more 🡒]