Michigan State football 2026 game-by-game predictions: Northwestern

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Michigan State football is right around the corner so it’s time to start predicting how the season will shake out for the Spartans.

Michigan State football is under new leadership this season, with Pat Fitzgerald set to take over as the next head coach. He will take over a program looking to get back on the winning side, with the Spartans in the midst of a four-year bowl drought. Can he get the job done and get the Spartans back to a bowl game this season? I have offered my thoughts on that in our game-by-game predictions segment on Spartans Wire.

We continue on with the next of my game-by-game predictions for each of the matchups on the Spartans’ 2026 schedule. Each morning a new prediction will be released following Michigan State’s schedule. Next up is a Big Ten matchup against Northwestern…

Matchup Breakdown

Opponent: Northwestern

Date: October 17, 2026

Location: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Mich.)

Fun Fact About This Matchup

The last of three former Spartans quarterbacks will arrive to Spartan Stadium in this matchup, as two-year starter Aidan Chiles is back as a visitor this time around. Chiles transferred to Northwestern following the firing of former head coach Jonathan Smith this past offseason.

Chiles followed Smith from Oregon State with extremely high expectations. He showed flashes during his two years at Michigan State, but ultimately he struggled with inconsistency and never reached the expected full potential. A new start at Northwestern could lead to more success for Chiles.

Where Things Stand Entering Matchup

MSU predicted record: 4-2 (2-1 in Big Ten)

Don’t look now, but is Michigan State a fringe contender in the Big Ten? Michigan State picked up a big-time win over Illinois in the previous week and is now listed as a home favorite against the Wildcats with an opportunity to move to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play.

Northwestern also comes into this game with a projected winning record of 3-2 overall, but is still in search of their first Big Ten win (predicted losses against Indiana and Penn State). The Wildcats should be well rested and feeling good about themselves after beating up on Ball State the week prior to heading to East Lansing, Mich.

Prediction

Prediction: Michigan State wins 38-31

Chip Kelly paired up with Chiles scares me because that is a recipe for some explosive offense if things are clicking. I anticipate Chiles returning to Spartan Stadium with a chip on his shoulder so I think this could be a high-scoring fun matchup.

I predict this game to be a back-and-forth matchup with offensive fireworks. Ultimately, Michigan State makes one more defensive play than the Wildcats to lift Fitzgerald’s Spartans to a revenge victory against his old team.

Next Up

Next on the game-by-game predictions list is a road Big Ten game vs. UCLA. That prediction will be released tomorrow.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State football 2026 game-by-game predictions: Northwestern

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