Michigan State’s win over Michigan changed the mood around the program in a hurry, but it also changed the expectations. The Spartans came out of a 2-6 stretch that had them looking buried, then turned around and took back the Paul Bunyan Trophy with a 15-6 victory. Now the question is what they do with that momentum when Washington comes to town.
MSU enters this one at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten, while Washington is 5-4 overall and 2-4 in conference play. Pat Fitzgerald said the Spartans need to “grow up,” and this game is the next chance to show that last week was more than just a one-off burst of emotion.
One of the biggest challenges after a win like that is handling everything that comes with it. Fitzgerald leans on a “24-hour rule” with his team, whether the result is good or bad, and he pointed out how much harder it can be to move on after a victory.
The Michigan game brought a different kind of outside noise, too. Fitzgerald used offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan as the example, saying the former Michigan quarterback got three texts after a bowl loss - one from his wife and one from each of his parents - but after this game Sheridan got “480 or something.”
“He said, ‘That’s kind of how it works,’” Fitzgerald also said. “It’s rat poison if you allow it to be, one way or the other, and we’ve moved on.
The guys, they were great this (Monday) morning. We had a really focused workout today.”
That’s the balancing act for Michigan State now. The hunger and toughness this battered roster has shown are a big reason people around East Lansing have continued to buy in, and the Michigan win only strengthens that. But Fitzgerald’s point is clear: the Spartans have to stay grounded and keep playing to their identity against Washington and beyond.
There is still a slim path to bowl eligibility, and that keeps something real in front of MSU. The Spartans would need to win out, which still looks unlikely, but it is not impossible.
That would put them at 5-7, and there is at least a theoretical route into a bowl if enough 6-win teams don’t fill the available spots. According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, those openings can go to a 5-7 team of ESPN’s choice in an ESPN-televised bowl game, which is nearly all of them.
If Michigan State got there, it would have a shot. It would already be near the top of the list, it has a Big Ten fanbase behind it, and the ongoing bowl drought would only sharpen interest. Fitzgerald also seems like the kind of coach who would accept the opportunity if it came.
The bigger immediate issue, though, is whether the Spartans can match what they just put on tape. Against Michigan, MSU played its most complete game of the season.
The offense didn’t score a touchdown, yet still did enough against an elite defense. The defense was essentially a shutout.
Special teams took over, with Liam Boyd accounting for all 15 points.
That performance now becomes the measuring stick. Fitzgerald made that point plainly when asked about getting his team to duplicate it.
“Well, now you’ve put it on tape,” Fitzgerald said about getting his players to match the performance against UM. “We’ve been trying to set the standard.
You’ve now put the standard on tape. So now you know we’re going to hold you to that in everything that you do.”
In Other News...
Tom Izzo Sends A Clear Message After Michigan State Stuns Duke
Michigan States win over No. 2 Duke in the Champions Classic gave the Spartans an early-season jolt, and Tom Izzo made sure to frame it as more than just a headline result. With his team off to a 3-0 start, the veteran coach spent his postgame media session praising Dukes quality while also crediting his own group for the way it handled the moment, a reminder that this was the kind of November test he has long wanted for his program.
Izzo also touched on individual performances from across the roster, using the night as a snapshot of where Michigan State is and where it still needs to grow. He even nodded to the football teams recent win over Michigan, tying the moment into a bigger stretch of momentum around campus, while leaving the larger question hanging on how far this basketball team can carry that early confidence. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Faces One Early Test After Its Duke Statement
Michigan State gets right back to work at home after its statement win over Duke, and the early-season buzz around the Spartans has only grown with a 3-0 start and a No. 5 ranking. Northern Iowa arrives with a 2-1 record, giving Tom Izzos team another chance to show that the win over the Blue Devils was not just a one-night surge but part of a real early rhythm.
The matchup also offers a different kind of test, because Michigan State now has to handle the expectations that come with being ranked this high while still sorting out what kind of team it wants to be. Northern Iowa has already shown enough to suggest it can make things uncomfortable, so this is the sort of game that can reveal whether the Spartans are staying sharp or settling in after the Duke high. [Read more 🡒]
Carson Cooper Is Already Fighting For His NBA Role
Carson Coopers pro path has taken another turn, and this one gives him a clearer place to prove he belongs. The former Michigan State center has signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers after previously being with the Memphis Grizzlies, setting him up to split time between the NBA roster and the teams G-League affiliate.
For a player trying to carve out a long-term role, the opportunity is as important as the jersey change. Cooper enters a crowded frontcourt as a backup center behind Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney, and he takes the spot vacated when Lawson Lovering was waived to make room for him. [Read more 🡒]