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 ...
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...