The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry lands in prime time on Saturday night, with the Wolverines set to host the Spartans at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov.
- The game will air on NBC Sports Network, which is available to Xfinity and YouTube TV customers, and it will also stream on Fubo and Peacock.
Michigan enters at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten play after a 28-21 road win at Rutgers in Week 9. Michigan State comes in at 2-6 and still searching for its first conference victory, though the Spartans have had two weeks to get ready after a bye.
The matchup has plenty riding on it for both first-year coaches. Michigan is led by Kyle Whittingham, while Pat Fitzgerald is trying to guide a banged-up MSU roster through a rough stretch. Fitzgerald has already called this the biggest game of Michigan State’s season, and Whittingham is still getting a feel for the rivalry with a roster full of non-Michiganders.
Michigan is favored by two touchdowns. That number comes with a little history attached: the Wolverines were three-touchdown favorites at home against the Spartans in 2020 and lost.
Michigan State’s quarterback situation is also worth watching. Alessio Milivojevic, whose 11-start streak ended at UCLA after he was unable to play, is questionable.
For Michigan, the game offers a chance to build on the momentum of Tommy Carr, who impressed in his second career start against Rutgers. A win would also give the new starting quarterback another boost. For Michigan State, an upset would keep slim bowl hopes alive.
Here’s the rest of the setup for the game:
Michigan vs. Michigan State start time
Saturday, Nov. 7
7:30 p.m. ET
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor
Michigan vs. Michigan State channel
NBC Sports Network. The game can be accessed through Xfinity, YouTube TV and Fubo, and it will also stream on Peacock.
Michigan’s schedule
Week 1: W, 13-12 vs Western Michigan.
Week 2: W, 17-10 vs Oklahoma.
Week 3: W, 52-17 vs UTEP.
Week 4: L, 20-19 vs Iowa.
Week 5: L, 20-14 at Minnesota.
Week 6: BYE.
Week 7: W, 21-18 vs Penn State.
Week 8: L 13-6 vs Indiana.
Week 9: W, 28-21 at Rutgers.
Week 10: vs Michigan State, Saturday, Nov. 7 (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network/ Peacock).
Week 11: at Oregon, Saturday, Nov. 14 (3:30 p.m., FS1).
Week 12: vs UCLA, Saturday, Nov. 21 (time and TV TBA).
Michigan State’s schedule
Week 1: W, 30-20 vs Toledo.
Week 2: W, 35-7 vs Eastern Michigan.
Week 3: L, 27-10 at Notre Dame.
Week 4: L, 31-13 vs Nebraska.
Week 5: L 31-3 at Wisconsin.
Week 6: L, 38-37 (OT) Illinois.
Week 7: L, 24-21 vs Northwestern.
Week 8: L, 28-10 at UCLA.
Week 9: BYE.
Week 10: at Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 7 (7:30 p.m., NBCSN/ Peacock).
Week 11: vs Washington, Saturday, Nov. 14 (4:15 p.m., Big Ten Network).
Week 12: vs Oregon, Friday, Nov. 20 (8 p.m., Fox).
Week 13: at Rutgers, Saturday, Nov. 28 (time and TV TBA).
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Michigans quarterback situation took a sharp turn at halftime against Penn State, when Bryce Underwood was benched and freshman Tommy Carr took over for most of the game. Carrs outing was uneven, including interceptions, but the move still mattered because it signaled a real shift in how the offense was being managed in a game Michigan could not afford to treat casually.
Kyle Whittingham said the offensive coaches recommended sticking with Carr after weighing what they had seen in practice, even though putting Underwood back in was discussed. Whittingham made clear the final call was his, which only adds to the scrutiny around a decision that leaves Michigan fans wondering whether the staff is riding with the hotter hand or simply hoping the choice settles itself the next time the Wolverines take the field. [Read more 🡒]
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Beck had been brought in on a three-year contract and was the highest-paid offensive coordinator in college football, which only adds to the scrutiny around how quickly things unraveled. For a program that expected the offense to settle in and carry more of the load, the decision puts the bigger issue back in focus: whether this was about one coordinator, or a deeper problem that still needs fixing. [Read more 🡒]
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Head coach Kyle Whittingham made clear he was unhappy with the offenses output, and now the focus shifts to what comes next on that side of the ball. Michigan has not announced a replacement for Beck yet, though several assistants with offensive experience are in the mix as the staff tries to steady a unit that has become impossible to ignore for all the wrong reasons. [Read more 🡒]