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 Wisconsin…
Matchup Breakdown
Opponent: Wisconsin
Date: October 3, 2026
Location: Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, Wisc.)
Fun Fact About This Matchup
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell was nearly the Spartans head coach following the retirement of legend Mark Dantonio. As some (maybe most) will remember, Fickell was the leading candidate to take over at Michigan State in 2020, but ultimately declined the offer and stayed at Cincinnati. He would later go on to lead the Bearcats to the Peach Bowl and then their first ever College Football Playoff appearance over the next two seasons, and eventually take the Wisconsin gig in 2022.
Since coming to Wisconsin, Fickell has failed to meet expectations with a losing record of 17-21 over his first three seasons and finds himself on the hot seat entering this year. It would have been interesting to see how things would have played out differently had he taken the Spartans job in 2020 after all.
Where Things Stand Entering Matchup
MSU predicted record: 3-1 (1-0 in Big Ten)
If the season is playing out as I’m predicting, then Michigan State will come into this matchup with some momentum following a thrilling victory over Nebraska the week prior. This will mark the Spartans’ second road game of the year and another stiff challenge for Michigan State to overcome.
I anticipate Wisconsin comes into this matchup in dire need of a victory. I envision the Badgers will be 2-2 at this point in the season, with losses to Notre Dame and Penn State, and victories over Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan. A loss here to the Spartans at home could be the final straw for Fickell at Wisconsin…
Prediction
Prediction: Wisconsin wins 26-20
With their backs against the wall, I fear Wisconsin finds a way to get it done and win this game late. The Spartans defense again does a good job holding its opponent to field goals instead of touchdowns, but a late score by the Badgers is the difference in this hard fought Big Ten early October matchup.
Fickell gets to keep his job heading into the week six bye week, and Michigan State needs to find a bounce back performance next week to avoid its season going downhill.
Next Up
Next on the game-by-game predictions list is a home Big Ten game vs. Illinois. 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: Wisconsin