Michigan State’s latest trip through a rough stretch brought another lopsided result, this time a 31-3 loss to Wisconsin that left the Spartans looking flat and short on answers.
The defeat added another ugly chapter to what has been a frustrating run, and the mood around the program is only getting heavier. Pat Fitzgerald’s era, as the source put it, is trending in the wrong direction, and the message remains the same: patience has to be preached and practiced again.
One of the biggest concerns coming out of the game is Joe Rossi’s defense. Injuries have taken a toll, and the absence of Jordan Hall, described as the quarterback of the unit, clearly mattered again.
Even so, Wisconsin was able to lean on the run so heavily that it was running the ball 80 percent of the time, and Michigan State still did not make enough adjustments to slow it down. The Badgers kept going to the same 2-3 plays through much of the first quarter, outside of two touchdown passes to the same tight end, and the offense looked far too comfortable.
Rossi is probably not in true hot-seat territory yet, but the pressure conversation has to start.
The offense had its own head-scratching moment when Alessio Milivojevic finally found a little rhythm in the second quarter. He strung together a couple of first-down throws and added a nice RPO to pick up a few yards, only for Nick Sheridan to turn to the Cam Fancher package and shut things down.
That package has had moments this season, including against Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and once against Notre Dame, but it has been getting worse each time it appears. With Milivojevic settling in, the call to stop forcing it was obvious.
A non-contact leg injury to Fancher may also have taken that option away for a while.
More broadly, Michigan State’s offense looks like it needs a different look altogether. After another rough outing from Milivojevic, the Spartans may need to consider giving younger receivers a chance, reshuffling the offensive line, or leaning into more creative play-calling.
Over the last 12 quarters, Michigan State has managed just 26 points, a number that would put most offensive coordinators in serious trouble. Sheridan, though, is likely to get more time because this is Year 1 of what appears to be a major rebuild.
In Other News...
Michigan State Just Made An Early Big Ten Statement At UCLA
Michigan State walked into Pauley Pavilion and left with the kind of conference win that can change the tone of a season. The Spartans handled UCLA in straight sets, controlling the match from start to finish and not allowing the Bruins much breathing room in any part of the night. It was their first conference road sweep since 2024, a reminder that this group is already showing some early Big Ten muscle.
The result pushed Michigan State to 12-1 overall and 2-1 in league play, while UCLA dropped to 10-4 and 1-2 in conference action. Alanna Bankston led the way with 15 kills, and Carmen Waye added eight kills with five blocks as the Spartans gave themselves an early statement on the road, with plenty of season still ahead to see how far that edge can carry them. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State's Third Straight Loss Raised Bigger Questions Than The Score
Michigan States third straight loss was ugly enough on the scoreboard, but the bigger issue coming out of the 31-3 setback to Wisconsin was how many familiar problems showed up again. The Spartans looked beaten up and short on answers, with injuries and adversity clearly shaping the day, and the concerns went well beyond one bad result. For a program trying to steady itself, the latest outing only deepened the sense that preparation and execution are slipping at both the offensive and defensive levels.
There were still a couple of bright spots tucked inside the mess, most notably interior defensive lineman Eli Coenen and center Trent Fraley, who were among the few players to come away with a strong grade. Even so, Michigan States margin for error has disappeared, and the coaching choices only added to the frustration as the offense stalled and the game management came under scrutiny. The final score told one story, but the questions left behind may be more damaging than the loss itself. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State's Cam Edwards Problem Looked Bigger Than Ever In Madison
Michigan States trip to Madison underscored just how much the offense has been leaning on Cam Edwards. Without its star running back, the Spartans had a hard time finding any rhythm in a 31-3 Big Ten loss to Wisconsin, while quarterback Alessio Milivojevic spent much of the afternoon under pressure. The result was a one-sided game in which Michigan State never got comfortable and Wisconsin dictated the pace with long, steady possessions.
The trouble did not stop on offense. Michigan States defense had no clean answer for Wisconsins ability to stay on schedule, with the Badgers repeatedly extending drives on third down and getting production from Colton Joseph as both a passer and a runner. For the Spartans, the larger concern is whether the ground game can hold up without Edwards, because the version that showed up in Madison had too few answers on either side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]