Pat Fitzgerald coached Northwestern for 17 seasons. Now his short-handed Michigan State team hosts No. 25 Northwestern
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Pat Fitzgerald knows exactly what is coming through the tunnel. The question is whether his Michigan State roster can do anything about it.
Fitzgerald led Northwestern from 2006 to 2022. Now in his first season at Michigan State, he hosts his old program at noon ET on Peacock. No. 25 Northwestern (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) brings one of the country's most efficient offenses. Michigan State (2-4, 0-3) has lost four in a row, most recently 38-37 in overtime to Illinois.
The Wildcats' offense, coordinated by Chip Kelly, ranks 10th in ESPN's Football Power Index efficiency ratings. Quarterback Aidan Chiles has completed 80 of 112 passes for 1,172 yards and nine touchdowns, with no interceptions on ESPN's stat sheet. Griffin Wilde leads the receivers with 24 catches for 425 yards, and Caleb Komolafe has 334 rushing yards. Northwestern's only loss came 29-23 at Indiana.
That's a tough matchup for a Michigan State defense that ranks 71st and is badly short-handed. Cornerbacks Tre Bell and Charles Brantley are out, along with defender Brady Pretzlaff, left tackle Ben Murawski and running back Cam Edwards.
Northwestern has an important absence, too. Safety Robert Fitzgerald, the team's leading tackler with 49 stops, is out. That could open things up for Spartans quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who has 1,047 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Rodney Bullard Jr. is his top target.
David Braun, in his fourth season at Northwestern, has the Wildcats ranked for the first time this year. A win would keep them in the Big Ten race before they host Rutgers next week. Michigan State, which visits No. 12 UCLA next, needs a spark.
This is the 61st meeting, and Michigan State leads the series 40-20, according to the school's game notes. The Spartans have won three in a row, most recently 38-21 in Evanston in 2021, when Fitzgerald was on the other side.
Michigan State's history runs deep, with national championships under Biggie Munn and Duffy Daugherty between 1951 and 1966. Northwestern's proudest modern stretch came in the 1990s, with Big Ten titles in 1995, 1996 and 2000.
Calm weather, 48 degrees and little wind, should suit the better passing team. On paper, that's Northwestern.
Our call: Northwestern 30, Michigan State 20.