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Against All Odds, 2026 Week 3: Glasses in Various Stages of Fullness

Saturday night’s result left me conflicted. Michigan State went on the road to face No. 3 Notre Dame and lost by double digits. A little more than 10 years ago, that would have felt like a tremendous opportunity lost. Plenty has changed over the past decade. The Spartans have had four head coaches and made only four bowl appearances during that span. The program has fallen on hard times, and Saturday’s loss was another reminder that Michigan State still does not measure up to the nation’s best teams. Despite those realities, I could not help feeling encouraged by the performance. The Spartans entered as nearly 30-point underdogs but lost by 17. Early in the fourth quarter, Michigan State had the ball near midfield, trailing 20-10 and driving with a chance to make it a one-score game. That represents significant improvement from the last several times Michigan State faced elite competition. Consider the Spartans’ deficits after three quarters: 2025 vs. No. 3 Indiana: 35-10 2024 vs. No. ...
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Bad Betting Advice, Week 3: Four Leaf Clover

As the Michigan State football team prepares to face Notre Dame's shamrock-loving Fighting Irish, Spartans fans will likely see more than a few references to four-leaf clovers this weekend. My model currently ranks Michigan State No. 46 and Notre Dame No. 1 in my latest power poll. As a result, the Spartans' chances of leaving South Bend with a victory are slim. Still, the four-leaf clover offers a useful framework for imagining how an upset might happen. The four leaves of a four-leaf clover traditionally represent faith, hope, love, and luck. If the Spartans are to pull off this upset, they will likely need all four. The first leaf represents faith, which in this case means trust in brighter days. With the arrival of new coach Pat Fitzgerald and generally positive results through two weeks, Spartans fans have reason to believe better days are on the horizon. The second leaf represents hope, or optimism and the courage to look forward. If the Spartans are to have a chance Satu...
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Against All Odds, 2026 Week 2: Rise

At halftime Saturday, there was cause for concern in the stands and on the sideline at Spartan Stadium. Visiting Eastern Michigan had just marched 78 yards on 13 plays, mostly on the ground, to cut Michigan State’s lead to seven. Despite that lead, Eastern Michigan had outgained Michigan State 162-143 and held the ball for 6 1/2 minutes longer. For the second time in two weeks, the Spartans were struggling to put away a Mid-American Conference opponent. Entering the season, fans did not know what to expect from the first year of the Pat Fitzgerald era in East Lansing. Still and moving images available to the public during the offseason had been limited. The Week 1 performance was fine, but hardly inspiring. Seven quarters into a new era of Spartan football, doubt was creeping in, and the defense was the immediate concern. “There was a lot of not very happy people on our defensive headphones and defensive staff when we went in at halftime,” Fitzgerald said. There were plenty of unhappy ...
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Bad Betting Advice, 2026 Week 2: Take Two!

“Cut!” OK, everyone, that was a solid opening performance, but it is time for the second scene of Act I. The first scene went well, although we could use a little more rehearsal and polish before the real opening night next weekend.  Scene 2 features a new supporting cast, but a familiar script. It is another chance to sharpen the execution, blocking, and timing before the more challenging material later in the show. Once again, there should be plenty of movement, but it must come with purpose and intention. Hit those lines with intensity, listen for your cues, communicate clearly, and do not miss an entrance. Finish your assignments and avoid improvising at the wrong time.  The theme here is familiar, too, except this scene is more avian and less aerospace. What is it with flight in this production? And why do the next few scenes introduce cranky Irishmen, agricultural day laborers, and literal wild animals? Who wrote this show? No matter. The show must go on, and I am confid...
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Against All Odds, 2026 Week 1: Feeling Strangely Fine

Week 1 of the 2026 college football season is in the books, and plenty has already happened. There were big upsets, narrow escapes, surprising blowouts, and clock controversies, and that was just in the Big Ten. The Michigan State Spartans opened the season Friday night with a 10-point home win over Mid-American Conference contender Toledo. The Spartans started fast, struggled in the red zone, suffered a few defensive breakdowns, fell behind, and then rallied in the fourth quarter to secure a victory that was almost comfortable. In the end, the Spartans beat the Rockets by essentially the same margin the oddsmakers projected. Overall, it was a fine performance, and we learned quite a bit about the 2026 Michigan State team. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was sharp, completing more than 75% of his passes. New running back Cam Edwards showed speed and elusiveness while finishing just shy of 100 yards. The run blocking appeared improved, and the wide receiver committee consistently found ...
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Bad Betting Advice, 2026 Week 1: Brand New Day

When it comes to franchises, sometimes you get a sequel, and sometimes you need a reboot. For the 2026 Michigan State football team, a reboot was certainly required. In fact, fans would probably prefer to have the past few timelines purged from their memories, as if by a strange magician’s spell. Mel who? Jonathan who? Never heard of them. Instead, there is a new sheriff in town. He is a gruff Chicago native, built like a linebacker, who looks vaguely familiar. Didn’t that guy used to wear purple? New head coach Pat Fitzgerald wears the only colors these days, and he brings an old-school Big Ten mentality to this particular origin story. It all feels both familiar and refreshing in the friendly neighborhoods around East Lansing. But Fitzgerald is not the only new face in East Lansing. The Spartans added 32 transfers and 30 incoming freshmen, enough new characters to fill a prequel and at least one confusing Disney+ series. Keep the roster handy Friday night when this new cast makes its...
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