📊 2026 Big Ten Standings: Track Michigan State’s conference and overall record next to all 18 Big Ten programs — View the live 2026 Big Ten Football Standings →
The 2026 Michigan State Spartans football schedule features 12 games under first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald, including seven home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing and a Big Ten slate that includes road trips to Notre Dame, Wisconsin, UCLA, Michigan, and Rutgers. The Spartans open the season September 5 at home against Toledo and close the regular season November 28 at Rutgers. Game times and TV broadcast details are listed as TBD and will be updated as the Big Ten releases its official broadcast schedule.
2026 Michigan State Spartans Football
Pat Fitzgerald arrives in East Lansing after 16 seasons as head coach at Northwestern, where he became the program’s all-time wins leader and guided the Wildcats to multiple Big Ten West division titles. Michigan State hired Fitzgerald on December 1, 2025, on a five-year contract worth $30 million to rebuild a Spartans program that had fallen on difficult years under the previous staff. He brings with him a reputation for building tough, disciplined defenses and competing in the Big Ten with a roster-development approach rather than relying on transfers. His first schedule is a fair test, with two home non-conference games against Toledo (Sep 5) and Eastern Michigan (Sep 12) before a marquee road trip to Notre Dame on September 19.
Big Ten play begins September 26 at home against Nebraska, and the schedule moves through Illinois and Northwestern at home in October before the bye week on October 31. The stretch run in November features the rivalry game at Michigan on November 7, followed by home games against Washington and Oregon before the regular season finale at Rutgers on November 28. The Wolverines game is the marquee matchup of the back half of the schedule and will be one of the defining moments of Fitzgerald’s debut season in East Lansing.
For the latest roster moves and program news, visit the Michigan State Spartans Football official athletics site.
2026 Michigan State Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fri, Sep 4 | vs Toledo Rockets | 8:00 PM | FS1 |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | vs Eastern Michigan Eagles | 3:30 PM | BTN |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 7:30 PM | NBC |
| 4 | Sat, Sep 26 | vs Nebraska Cornhuskers | TBD | TBD |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | @ Wisconsin Badgers | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Sat, Oct 10 | vs Illinois Fighting Illini | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sat, Oct 17 | vs Northwestern Wildcats | TBD | TBD |
| 8 | Sat, Oct 24 | @ UCLA Bruins | TBD | TBD |
| Open Date – Bye Week (Sat, Oct 31) | ||||
| 10 | Sat, Nov 7 | @ Michigan Wolverines | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | vs Washington Huskies | TBD | TBD |
| 12 | Fri, Nov 20 | vs Oregon Ducks | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| 13 | Sat, Nov 28 | @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights | TBD | TBD |
All times Eastern. TBD = kickoff/TV not yet announced. Updated May 27, 2026.
Game times and TV/streaming information are TBD. This page will be updated when the Big Ten releases its official broadcast schedule.
More 2026 College Football Resources
Michigan State is one of 18 Big Ten programs competing in 2026. For a full look at every team’s slate, check out the complete Big Ten Football Schedule, which includes printable grids for every program from Michigan to Oregon.
The path to a national championship runs through the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. The full breakdown of the 2026-27 College Football Playoff schedule covers every round, site, and bracket format for the season.
2026 Michigan State Football FAQ
Who is Michigan State’s head football coach in 2026?
Pat Fitzgerald is the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans in 2026, his first season with the program. Fitzgerald was hired on December 1, 2025, after 16 seasons as head coach at Northwestern, where he became the program’s all-time wins leader.
How many home games does Michigan State have in 2026?
Michigan State plays seven home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing in 2026. Home opponents include Toledo, Eastern Michigan, Nebraska, Illinois, Northwestern, Washington, and Oregon.
When is Michigan State’s bye week in 2026?
Michigan State’s bye week is October 31, 2026, between the road game at UCLA (Oct 24) and the road game at Michigan (Nov 7). The break comes at a useful time before the rivalry game with the Wolverines.
When will Michigan State’s game times and TV channels be announced?
The Big Ten and its broadcast partners – Fox, NBC, CBS, and Peacock – typically release game times and TV assignments on a rolling basis, usually 6-12 days before each game. This page will be updated as kickoff times and broadcast details are confirmed.
When do Michigan State and Michigan play in 2026?
Michigan State travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan on November 7, 2026. The rivalry game is one of the oldest in college football and is known as the Paul Bunyan Trophy game, with the winner taking home the trophy each year.
|
Resource Hub
Michigan State Spartans
Everything you need for the 2026 college football season.
|
| → 2026 College Football Schedule Full FBS slate with kickoff times and TV networks. |
| → 2026-27 College Football Playoff Bracket The 12-team bracket, dates, and projected matchups. |
| → 2026-27 Bowl Game Schedule Every bowl game, date, and matchup in one place. |
| → Big Ten Football Standings Live Big Ten standings, records, and results. |
