Let’s just say Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald would like to beat Northwestern.
Oh sure, he’s keeping it all civil, and it’s about the players, Michigan State, and a Big Ten game, but the former Wildcat head man would certainly love to beat his alma mater. (Fitzgerald was fired by Northwestern following a hazing scandal with the football team – Fitzgerald and Northwestern later settled a wrongful termination lawsuit.)
And Northwestern would love nothing more than to get a win in East Lansing for a 5-1 start.
The Wildcats battled Indiana hard in a 29-23 loss, blew out Penn State and Ball State, and now it has a shot to set up a potentially massive second half of the season. Michigan State is coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to Illinois as part of a four-game losing streak.
Northwestern vs Michigan State: Quick Hits
- Michigan State has to go on the road to play UCLA and Michigan next. After the trip to LA, the Spartans don’t leave Michigan until the regular season finale at Rutgers.
- Northwestern gets two of its next three at home, playing Rutgers next week before going to Oregon, and following that up against Iowa.
- Michigan State won the last meeting over Fitzgerald’s Wildcats 38-21 to open the 2021 season. The Spartans have won three in a row in the series after Northwestern had won three in a row.
How To Watch Northwestern vs Michigan State
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Game Time: 12:00 PM ET
TV: Peacock
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
– CFN Week 7 Schedule, Predictions
– CFN Top 25 | Bowl Projections
– Predictions For Every Remaining Game
– CFN Week 7 Expert Picks
Why Northwestern Will Win
Start running, keep running, don’t stop running.
The best coach in this game might be Northwestern offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. He has his attack rolling, running for 413 yards and four scores in the win over Penn State, getting 240 passing yards or more in the four other games, and it’s all happening without any big mistakes.
Former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles has been fantastic, leading the Big Ten with a 71% completion percentage with nine touchdown passes and no picks.
Why Michigan State Will Win
This is a true rebuilding job under Fitzgerald, but the Spartans are certainly plucky. They battled back in the overtime loss to Illinois, and they were able to hang around for most of the game in the other three losses.
To stay in this, quarterback Alessio Milivojevic needs to be on. He connected on 85% of his throws in the loss to Illinois, was sharp in the opener against Toledo, and Northwestern will give up midrange passing plays.
Northwestern vs Michigan State Prediction, Betting Lines
Fitzgerald’s team will come out with the fight and want-to, but the Spartans are super banged up. Northwestern is playing too well, with the attack balanced enough to get off to a good start and keep Michigan State at arm’s length all game long.
Northwestern 31, Michigan State 17
Latest Consensus Line: Northwestern -7.5, o/u: 48.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 3.5
Must See Rating (out of 5): 3
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.