Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State football's 2026 schedule

1. MSU’s 2026 home football schedule has good pacing to it, avoids dreaded Thanksgiving date

Too often in recent years, Michigan State’s home football schedule had a series of home games bunched together out of the gate and then not enough in October or down the stretch, before finishing at home on Thanksgiving weekend, which only works if you’re having a good season and have a notable opponent.

MSU avoided all of that nonsense this coming season. 

Here’s the Spartans’ schedule:

Sept. 5: Toledo

Sept. 12: Eastern Michigan

Sept. 19: At Notre Dame

Sept. 26: Nebraska

Oct. 3: At Wisconsin

Oct. 10: Illinois

Oct. 17: Northwestern

Oct. 24: At UCLA

Nov. 7: At Michigan

Nov. 14: Washington

Nov. 21: Oregon

Nov. 28: At Rutgers

There’s great pacing to this season’s home and road slates. Two games against Mid-American Conference foes at home to start, when energy is high and just winning is what’s needed. Then a trip to an old rival in Notre Dame, a game that sadly rarely exists anymore. Then, as Big Ten play begins ... home game, road game, home, home, road, all against teams that MSU ought to have a chance against (with Illinois at home perhaps being the most difficult, though it’s impossible to know).

Three Big Ten home games — against Nebraska, Illinois and Northwestern — in the prime football weather in East Lansing. A trip to UCLA when it’s at least not still summer in the Midwest. Then a bye — on Halloween, no less, so the Big Ten can’t screw up life for parents with little kids by making that a night game. And, more importantly, a bye week and exhale heading into the game at Michigan and a difficult November stretch. Then two good and difficult November games against Washington and Oregon that’ll make enduring the elements worth it, before that trip to Rutgers, when MSU will hope there’s something on the line, but won’t have to worry about attendance at Spartan Stadium or moving the game to Detroit. That weekend is somebody else’s problem.

Other than having a slightly more interesting finale, MSU couldn’t ask for a better slate in terms of when and where games are scheduled.

2. Not an easy schedule for MSU, but it could have been worse

Avoiding Ohio State and Indiana is a major win for the Spartans. And getting Oregon, Washington and Illinois at home is better than the alternative. But there are no easy schedules in the Big Ten for a program that’s trying to find its way again. And in today’s college football, who knows what schedules will turn out to be easier or harder than expected.

There’s a possibility that playing at Notre Dame, hosting Illinois, and playing at Michigan, before visits from Washington and Oregon winds up being a schedule with five College Football Playoff-caliber opponents. There’s a chance Wisconsin or Nebraska gets it going, or that Northwestern (with Aidan Chiles at quarterback) is a difficult home date. 

But it also probably couldn’t have set up any better for Pat Fitzgerald’s first season. MSU will have to earn bowl eligibility and, heading into the season, will probably be an underdog in at least six games. But this is more manageable than some other seasons, provided MSU can weather that November stretch against Michigan, Washington and Oregon without three straight defeats. That Washington game could become the most important game of the season.

3. Some fun/interesting dates for MSU fans

Three former MSU quarterbacks playing against the Spartans at Spartans Stadium, a trip to the Rose Bowl, an early game at Notre Dame, and a home finale against Oregon — it’s a fun (or at least interesting) home slate for MSU fans.

Noah Kim visits with Eastern Michigan on Sept. 12, then Katin Houser with Illinois on Oct. 10, and, a week later, Aidan Chiles with Northwestern. I guarantee you that has never happened in the history of college football before — three former starting QBs who've left a program, playing against that program. Mostly because we’re just not far enough into the transfer portal era for it to be a possibility. 

And, in late October, as the weather begins to turn in Michigan, what’s better than a trip to the Rose Bowl for a little nostalgia and date with UCLA? 

Finally, no matter what sort of season the Spartans are having, that game against Oregon will likely be an important one for somebody, with some national attention. Ten months out, it looks like fun. Ten months from now, it might be a nightmare. That’s a problem for another day.

Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State football 2026 schedule announced: 3 quick takes