Michigan State’s backfield has changed in a hurry.
Pat Fitzgerald said Monday that Cam Edwards will miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering a knee injury, a major blow for the Spartans as they move deeper into Big Ten play. Edwards went down early in the first quarter against Nebraska after catching a pass, turning upfield and ripping off a 21-yard gain. A few moments later, he was on the turf in clear pain after his right foot planted in the grass and a Nebraska defender collided with his legs.
Now Michigan State has to sort through the rest of its running back room and figure out who can carry the load.
Jaziun Patterson looks like the next man in line. The Iowa transfer brings the most experience of the group, and he has already shown he can handle a bigger role.
Patterson spent four years at Iowa, redshirted as a freshman, and played in 31 games over the next three seasons. He finished that stretch with 181 carries for 811 yards, a 4.5-yard average and four touchdowns.
One of his better games came in 2024 against Wisconsin, when he ran 10 times for 56 yards and a score. That same Wisconsin team is Michigan State’s opponent this weekend.
Patterson has flashed this season, too. He ran 10 times for 46 yards and a touchdown against Eastern Michigan in Week 2, then did not get a carry against Notre Dame.
Against Nebraska, though, the Spartans leaned on him much more heavily, and he responded with 16 carries for 54 yards and a touchdown. With Edwards out, Patterson is positioned to become Michigan State’s primary ball carrier.
Aaron “AJ” Parrish is another name that suddenly matters more. The Western Kentucky transfer had a strong freshman season in Conference USA, rushing 106 times for 576 yards while averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
He also caught 36 passes for 203 yards, so there’s clear value there in the passing game. Parrish has not gotten going early in 2026, posting 15 carries for 47 yards through three weeks, and he was given only three carries against Nebraska despite Edwards’ injury.
Still, his speed and versatility give him a chance to grow into a bigger role if he can translate that Western Kentucky production to the Big Ten and get more comfortable between the tackles.
Brandon Tullis is another option with some real history in the system. He’s in his third season with Michigan State and is coming off the most productive year of his college career.
Last season, the junior had 69 carries for 301 yards, averaged 4.4 yards per attempt and scored four touchdowns. His usage has dropped this year, but he did turn four carries into 37 yards against Eastern Michigan and added two yards on his fifth carry of the season against Nebraska.
For a back who already knows the offense, this could be the opening he needed.
Kenneth Williams rounds out the group. Best known to Spartan fans as a return specialist, he’s also logged one rushing attempt this season for eight yards. He’s not expected to jump into a major workload right away, but Edwards’ injury pushes him closer to the top of the depth chart and could create a path to more snaps than anyone expected a couple of weeks ago.
Michigan State now has to piece together its ground game without its top back. Patterson seems likely to take on the heaviest share, while Parrish, Tullis and Williams all have a chance to claim bigger roles. The Spartans need answers quickly, and the coaching staff has to find the right mix to keep the offense moving.
In Other News...
Michigan State May Have Found A Portal Steal Up Front
Michigan States offensive line has had its share of issues early in the 2026 season, but Trent Fraley has given the Spartans something to build around in the middle. The transfer center has emerged as one of the teams most reliable up-front pieces, and Pro Football Network has graded him as the highest-rated center in college football through the first four weeks. For a unit still searching for consistency, that kind of steadiness matters.
Fraleys rise has also brought national attention with it, including early buzz as a Rimington Trophy front-runner. What makes the start even more notable is the path that got him here, since he arrived after being recognized as the best center in the FCS before making the jump to the FBS level. If Michigan State is going to settle its protection problems, the Spartans may already have found a rare portal addition who looks ready to anchor the line. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Has A Busy Week Fans Will Want To Track
Michigan State is heading into a packed stretch that gives fans plenty to keep an eye on across the athletic department. Football coach Pat Fitzgerald previewed the Spartans' trip to Wisconsin, with kickoff set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET, and the buildup comes with the usual fall rhythm of trying to stack one week on top of the next in a conference season that does not leave much room to breathe.
The bigger picture around campus is just as busy, with the homecoming matchup against Illinois now on the calendar for early October and men's tennis already celebrating its Big Ten championship rings. Add in a men's golf team that has put itself near the top of the Windon Memorial leaderboard, and it has the feel of one of those weeks when Michigan State followers need to track more than just the next snap. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Suddenly Has A Worry It Didnt Need After Nebraska
Michigan State came out of its Big Ten opener with more than just a lopsided loss to Nebraska. The Spartans fell 31-13 to drop to 2-2, and the postgame numbers added another layer to the disappointment when Pro Football Focus released its defensive grades. Among the group, linebacker Jordan Hall drew the highest mark, while defensive tackle Ben Roberts, cornerback Charles Brantley, linebacker Dion Crawford and defensive tackle Mikeshun Beeler also showed up well enough to stand out in a rough afternoon.
The concern now is whether the defense can absorb what happened in Lincoln and move on cleanly. Halls performance was a bright spot, but his exit with an injury leaves Michigan State waiting on another piece of information it did not need this early in conference play. After a game like this, the Spartans are left not only sorting through the loss itself, but also the health questions that can change the outlook for the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]