Spartans Journey to Minnesota to Face Golden Gophers on Saturday

Game 9: Michigan State (3-5, 0-5 B1G) at Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 B1G)

Date: Saturday, Nov. 1
Kickoff: 3:31 p.m. ET/2:31 p.m. CT
Location: Minneapolis, Minn.
Stadium: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805)
Surface: FieldTurf
Game Notes: MSU | Minnesota

►BROADCAST INFORMATION

TV: Big Ten Network

Streaming/Mobile: FOX Sports app

Announcers: Guy Haberman (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), Rhett Lewis (sidelines)

Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings

Play-by-Play: George Blaha

Analyst: Jehuu Caulcrick

Sidelines: Tre Mosley

Broadcast Hosts: Will Tieman, Dalton Shetler

Website/Mobile: msuspartans.com/watch, MSU Spartans app, Tune In radio

Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)

Affiliates: 21 associates listed at msuspartans.com

Satellite: SiriusXM Ch. 372 | SiriusXM App

Pregame Show: Begins at 2 p.m. ET

►SERIES INFORMATION

All-Time Series: MSU leads, 30-19

Series in Minneapolis: MSU leads, 13-12

Series in Big Ten Games: MSU leads, 29-19

Last Meeting: Minnesota 27, MSU 12 (2023 in Minneapolis)

Current Series Streak: 2 by Minnesota

►HEAD COACHES

MSU Head Coach: Jonathan Smith

MSU Record: 8-12 (second 12 months)

Overall Record: 42-47 (eighth 12 months)

Record vs. Minnesota: 0-0

Minnesota Head Coach: P.J. Fleck

Minnesota Record: 63-42 (ninth 12 months)

Overall Record: 93-64 (thirteenth 12 months)

Record vs. MSU: 2-3

►SPARTANS TRAVEL TO MINNESOTA TO TAKE ON GOLDEN GOPHERS

• Michigan State heads again on the highway to face Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT in Minneapolis. The sport shall be televised on the Big Ten Network and streamed on the FOX Sports app with Guy Haberman (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst) and Rhett Lewis (sidelines) on the decision.

• The Spartans enter the competition at 3-5 (0-5 Big Ten) following a 31-20 loss to No. 25/24 Michigan final Saturday evening in East Lansing. The Golden Gophers stand at 5-3 (3-2 Big Ten) after falling at Iowa, 41-3. 

• Saturday’s sport marks the fiftieth assembly between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Spartans lead the all-time sequence, 30-19, together with a 13-12 file in video games performed in Minneapolis. 

• MSU fell to Minnesota, 27-12, in its final journey to Minneapolis in 2023 and is 2-2 in video games at Huntington Bank Stadium, which opened in 2009. Overall, Michigan State has gained 24 of the final 32 conferences, courting again to 1977, together with 5 out of the final seven. 

►NICK MARSH SURPASSES 1,000 CAREER RECEIVING YARDS

• Sophomore extensive receiver Nick Marsh leads the Spartans with 42 receptions for 479 yards (59.9 ypg; 11.4 avg.), together with a team-best 5 landing catches. The Detroit, Michigan, native ranks among the many Big Ten leaders in TD catches (tied for seventh with 5), receptions (tied for seventh with 42; 5.3 pg) and receiving yards (twelfth with 479 yards; 59.9 pg). During the Indiana sport on Oct. 18, Marsh surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for his profession; he has a complete of 83 catches for 1,128 yards in 19 collegiate video games.

►MAKHI FRAZIER NOTCHES SECOND CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING GAME

• Sophomore working again Makhi Frazier rushed for a career-high 109 yards on 14 carries towards Michigan, together with a career-long 49-yard run within the second quarter that arrange MSU’s first landing of the sport. It marked Frazier’s second 100-yard dashing sport of the season (103 vs. Western Michigan in season opener on Aug. 29). Frazier leads the staff in dashing yards (493; 61.6 ypg) and carries (108) and is tied for fourth within the Big Ten with 18 runs of 10-plus yards.

►RED ZONE EFFICIENCY                                                            

• Michigan State has scored on 27 of its 29 journeys to the purple zone this season, good for a .931 proportion, which ranks third within the Big Ten and twentieth within the FBS. The Spartans have scored 21 touchdowns within the purple zone, together with 13 dashing TDs, together with six area objectives. MSU’s TD proportion within the purple zone (.724) ranks third within the Big Ten and twenty sixth within the FBS.

►20 CONSECUTIVE STARTS UNDER CENTER FOR JUNIOR QUARTERBACK AIDAN CHILES             

• Junior Aidan Chiles has began 20 consecutive video games at quarterback for the Spartans. Now in his second season at MSU, Chiles is finishing 63 p.c of his passes (128-of-203) for 1,392 yards and 10 touchdowns towards three interceptions. 

• He at present ranks among the many Big Ten leaders in factors answerable for per sport (eighth with 12.3 ppg), dashing TDs (ninth with six), passing touchdowns (tenth with 10), passing effectivity (eleventh with 134.0 ranking) and whole offense (14th with 202.4 ypg). The Long Beach, California, native has accounted for 16 whole touchdowns (10 passing, six dashing).

• Chiles was 27-of-33 passing for 243 yards and one landing within the loss at No. 3 Indiana on Oct. 18. He accomplished a career-best 82 p.c of his passes whereas additionally main the staff in dashing with 48 yards on eight carries, together with a career-long 64-yard rush within the fourth quarter. At one level, Chiles accomplished a school-record 20 consecutive passes, which tied the second-longest completion streak in any Big Ten Conference sport (file: 22 by Chuck Long vs. Indiana in 1984). 

►OMARI KELLY PROVING TO BE A PRODUCTIVE ALL-AROUND THREAT FOR MSU                  

• Senior extensive receiver Omari Kelly, who’s in his first season at MSU after transferring from Middle Tennessee State, leads the staff in all-purpose yards (570; 71.3 ypg) and ranks second in receptions (30) and receiving yards (435; 54.4 ypg). Kelly ranks seventeenth within the Big Ten in receiving yards per sport (54.4) and tied for twenty second in receptions per sport (3.8), whereas additionally rating second within the Big Ten in punt returns (18.6 avg.).

►MATT GULBIN ANCHORING THE OFFENSIVE LINE                                            

• Graduate senior heart Matt Gulbin, a Wake Forest switch who joined this system in 2025, has taken each snap on offense this season for the Spartans (538). He is graded the second-best heart within the FBS by Pro Football Focus (85.4). Gulbin is at present on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the nation’s greatest heart.

►JORDAN HALL LEADS TEAM, RANKS AMONG BIG TEN LEADERS IN TACKLES                             

• Junior co-captain linebacker Jordan Hall leads the staff and ranks eleventh within the Big Ten with 60 tackles (7.5 pg). He recorded a career-high 15 tackles, together with 9 solo stops, within the win over Boston College on Sept. 6 to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. Hall had his first profession interception to associate with eight tackles at Nebraska on Oct. 4.

►ALEX VANSUMEREN A VETERAN PRESENCE ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE                                           

• Redshirt junior defensive deal with Alex VanSumeren has began 20 straight video games on the defensive position for the Spartans (all 12 video games in 2024; all eight video games in 2025).

• VanSumeren has already recorded a career-high 36 tackles, which ranks most among the many Spartan defensive position and third most on the staff.

►PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN RYAN ECKLEY A WEAPON ON SPECIAL TEAMS                                             

• Redshirt junior and preseason All-American punter Ryan Eckley was named one in every of “Ray’s 8” this previous week by the Ray Guy Award for his efficiency towards Michigan. Eckley averaged 47.4 yards on seven punts (332 yards), together with a protracted of 55 yards and two positioned contained in the 20.

• Eckley has proven why he is likely one of the greatest punters within the nation within the first eight video games of the season. Although he would not meet the NCAA stat minimums, Eckley would rank No. 1 within the FBS along with his 50.4-yard punting common. He additionally ranks first within the Big Ten in 50-yard plus punts (16) and tied for third with 11 punts contained in the 20. Eckley has dropped seven punts contained in the opponents’ 10-yard line, together with three on the 1 and one on the 2.

• Eckley has a profession punting common of 47.9 yards per punt (127 punts for six,087 yards), which might rank No. 1 at school historical past (present file: Bryce Baringer, 46.0 avg.). That common additionally ranks No. 1 amongst present lively gamers within the FBS.

 

►STAT LEADERS

Michigan State:

Rushing – So. Makhi Frazier (108 carries for 493 yards, 4.6 avg., 2 TDs, 61.6 ypg)

Passing – Jr. Aidan Chiles (128-of-203, .631, 1,392 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs, 174.0 ypg)

Receiving – So. Nick Marsh (42 receptions for 479 yards, 11.4 avg., 5 TDs, 59.9 ypg)

Tackles – Jr. LB Jordan Hall (60 tackles, 3.5 TFLs for 10 yards, 2.0 sacks for 8 yards, 1 FF, 1 INT)

Minnesota:

Rushing – Jr. Darius Taylor (80 carries for 354 yards, 4.4 avg., 1 TD, 59.0 ypg)

Passing – R-Fr. Drake Lindsey (145-of-236, .614, 1,546 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, 193.3 ypg)

Receiving – R-Sr. Le’meke Brockington (31 receptions for 339 yards, 10.9 avg., 3 TDs, 42.4 ypg)

Tackles – R-Sr. LB Devon Williams (65 tackles, 6.5 TFLs for 11 yards, 1.5 sacks for 3 yards, 2 PBUs)

►SERIES NOTES                                                           

• Saturday’s sport marks the fiftieth assembly between Michigan State and Minnesota. The Spartans lead the all-time sequence, 30-19, together with a 13-12 file in video games performed in Minneapolis. MSU fell to Minnesota, 27-12, in its final journey to Minneapolis in 2023 and is 2-2 in video games at Huntington Bank Stadium, which opened in 2009. Overall, Michigan State has gained 24 of the final 32 conferences, courting again to 1977, together with 5 out of the final seven. 

►MSU-MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS                                                           

• Michigan State defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi spent six seasons (2018-23) at Minnesota, the place he helped construct the Gophers into top-of-the-line defenses within the Big Ten because the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Minnesota’s protection ranked among the many prime 10 within the FBS in whole protection 3 times (No. 3 in 2021, No. 8 in 2022, No. 10 in 2019) and scoring protection twice (No. 4 in 2022, No. 6 in 2021) underneath Rossi’s path. Rossi coached 30 All-Big Ten honorees, two first-team All-Americans and 10 NFL Draft picks throughout his time in Minneapolis.

• Co-special groups coordinator/rush ends coach Chad Wilt spent two seasons at Minnesota (2020-21) because the defensive position coach underneath Joe Rossi.

• Assistant linebackers coach Andrew Bindelglass labored with present Spartan defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Joe Rossi for 5 seasons at Minnesota (defensive graduate assistant in 2019-21; defensive high quality management in 2022-23).

►QUICK GLANCE AT MINNESOTA (5-3, 3-2 BIG TEN)                                                  

• Minnesota is 5-3 general and 3-2 in B1G play coming off a 41-3 loss at Iowa within the rivalry battle for Floyd of Rosedale trophy with the Hawkeyes final Saturday in Iowa City.

 • The Gophers had been denied its season-long three-game win streak, as Minnesota has two in a row twice, opening the season with a pair of nonconference wins over Buffalo (23-10 on Aug. 28) and Northwestern State (66-0 on Sept. 6), earlier than a loss at California (27-14 on Sept. 13). After a win over Rutgers (31-28 on Sept. 27), the Gophers misplaced at No. 1 Ohio State (42-3 on Oct. 4), earlier than one other two-game win streak with house wins over Purdue (27-20 on Oct. 11) and Nebraska (24-6 on Oct. 17), earlier than Saturday’s loss at Iowa.

• Offensively, the Gophers are 14th within the B1G and 96th within the FBS in scoring offense (23.9 ppg), whereas rating eleventh within the league and forty seventh within the nation in scoring protection (21.8 ppg).

• Minnesota’s offense is seventeenth within the convention and 121st within the nation in whole offense (314.6 ypg), rating sixteenth within the B1G and 118th within the FBS in dashing offense (110.5 ypg), together with twelfth in passing offense (204.1 ypg).

• Defensively, the Gophers are sixth within the league and fifteenth within the nation in whole protection (292.1 ypg), whereas rating fifth within the convention and nineteenth within the nation in dashing protection (102.1 ypg), along with rating ninth within the B1G and thirty second within the FBS in passing yards allowed (190.0 ypg).

• Individually, redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey is eleventh within the B1G and 86th within the FBS in passing yards/sport (193.3 ypg), together with tenth within the league and sixty fifth within the nation in passing TDs (10). Lindsey is 145-of-236 (.614) passing with 10 TDs and 6 INTs for 1,546 yards. Lindsey additionally has a team-high two dashing TDs, two of his 19 rushes, however has -63 web yards dashing, with a season-long rush of three yards.

• Redshirt senior extensive receiver Lemeke Brockington is 18th within the B1G and 133rd in FBS in receptions/sport (3.88), with 31 whole catches on the season for 339 yards (42.4 ypg). Brockington and redshirt senior tight finish Jameson Geers are tied for the staff lead and tied for twentieth within the league in receiving TDs (3).

• Junior working again Darius Taylor, who’s a local of Detroit and the lone Michigander on the Gophers’ roster, is sixteenth within the convention and 106th within the nation in dashing yards/sport (59.0), in addition to seventeenth within the league and 113th within the nation in dashing yards/carry (4.43). Taylor has 354 yards on 80 carries with one dashing TD.

• The Gophers’ protection is led by redshirt senior linebacker Devon Williams with 65 whole tackles, rating seventh within the B1G and forty fifth within the FBS in tackles/sport (8.1), including 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two go break-ups and one QB hurry.

• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Anthony Smith leads Minnesota and ranks third within the league and tied for twenty first within the nation in tackles for loss (9.5), whereas tied for tops within the convention and tied for seventh within the nation in sacks (7.0).

• Junior defensive again John Nestor is tied for fourth within the B1G and tied for eleventh within the FBS with three interceptions, and is one in every of 15 gamers within the convention with an INT return for a TD. Nestor can also be tied for third within the B1G and tied for twenty fourth within the FBS in passes defended (8), including 5 go break-ups, which ranks tied for fifth.

 • Redshirt sophomore linebacker Matt Kingsbury leads the league and ranks tied for first within the nation with three fumble recoveries.

• Senior placekicker Brady Denaburg is tenth within the convention and 57th within the nation in area objectives/sport (1.25), together with twelfth within the league and 67th within the nation in area aim proportion (.769), making 10-of-13), with a protracted of 46, making all 9 makes an attempt inside 40 yards, along with his solely misses coming from 41, 50 and 51-yards. Denaburg can also be 21-of-21 on PATs.

• Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck is in his ninth 12 months guiding the Golden Gophers, posting a 63-42 general file at Minnesota. Fleck is in his thirteenth 12 months general, amassing a 93-64 all-time collegiate head coach file, which incorporates three seasons as Western Michigan head coach.

LAST TIME OUT: NO. 25/24 MICHIGAN 31, MICHIGAN STATE 20

►GAME RECAP                                           

Michigan State scored 13 factors within the fourth quarter however fell to No. 25 Michigan, 31-20, in entrance of a sellout crowd of 75,085 followers at Spartan Stadium final Saturday evening.

Sophomore working again Makhi Frazier had 14 carries for a career-high 109 yards to guide MSU, whereas junior quarterback Aidan Chiles accomplished 14-of-28 passes for 130 yards and had a 1-yard dashing landing, his sixth dashing TD of the season.

Junior linebacker Jordan Hall led the defensive unit with 9 tackles, whereas graduate linebacker Darius Snow and junior defensive lineman Jalen Thompson had six tackles apiece and redshirt junior defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren added 5 tackles.

►SCORING SUMMARY                                                      

The Spartans acquired the opening kickoff, however fumbled on their third play, giving Michigan good area place on the UM 37-yard line. MSU’s protection held the Wolverines to a 21-yard area aim by Dominic Zvada.

The Wolverines (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) took a 10-0 lead with 3:58 left within the first quarter on Bryce Underwood’s 13-yard dashing landing.

Michigan State lower the result in 10-7 thanks for Aidan Chiles’ 1-yard rush halfway by way of the second quarter. MSU’s TD drive was aided by Makhi Frazier’s season-long 49-yard rush to the Spartan 26-yard line; the overall drive encompassed 73 yards on 10 performs and took 6:36 off the clock.

The Wolverines scored on their first possession of the second half, going 71 yards on seven performs, capped by a 5-yard landing run by Justice Haynes. On third-and-8 from the MSU 21-yard line, Malcolm Bell blitzed off the sting and compelled an Underwood fumble, however Bell was known as offsides, and the Wolverines scored two performs later.

Michigan elevated its benefit to 24-7 on Haynes’ second landing run, this time from 14 yards out, on the 3:08 mark within the third quarter.

The Spartans responded with a 12-play, 75-yard landing drive to make it 24-13 with 12:34 remaining, however did not convert the 2-point conversion. Chiles’ 24-yard go to Marsh to the UM 1 arrange Brandon Tullis’ 1-yard dashing rating.

The Wolverines pushed their result in 31-13 on a 56-yard rating from Jordan Marshall with 2:48 to play within the sport.

Michigan State redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic engineered a nine-play, 75-yard drive within the closing minutes, throwing a 21-yard landing go to redshirt junior tight finish Michael Masunas to make it 31-20.

►OFFENSIVE NOTES                                                     

• Junior quarterback Aidan Chiles was 14-of-28 passing for 130 yards . . . Chiles posted his third straight sport and sixth sport of the season with out an interception.

• Chiles additionally scored a dashing TD for his sixth dashing TD of the season . . . it was the fourth sport within the final 5 contests that Chiles has scored a dashing TD, and he has 5 dashing TDs in that four-game span highlighted by two TDs at Nebraska (10/4/25) . . . Chiles now has 9 dashing TDs for his two-year MSU profession and 12 whole dashing TDs in his collegiate profession.

• Sophomore working again Makhi Frazier rushed for a career-high 109 yards on 14 carries, together with a career-long 49-yard scamper within the second quarter . . . Frazier posted his second 100-yard dashing outing after his earlier career-best of 103 yards vs. Western Michigan within the season opener (8/29/25) . . . the 49-yard run additionally topped his earlier longest rush of 28 yards from the identical sport vs. WMU.

• Sophomore working again Brandon Tullis scored his third dashing TD of the season however first Big Ten landing, along with his 1-yard TD early within the fourth quarter . . . Tullis’ earlier TDs got here within the season opener vs. Western Michigan (9/29/25) and vs. Youngstown State (9/13/25).

• Sophomore extensive receiver Nick Marsh had sport highs of six catches for 75 yards . . . Marsh now has 20 receptions for 216 yards within the final three video games after seven catches in each the video games vs. UCLA and Indiana and 6 Saturday vs. Michigan . . . Marsh has 5 or extra catches in six of the eight video games this season.

• Marsh has at the least one catch in all 19 video games he is performed in as a Spartan, together with a number of catches within the final 18 in a row, after one catch in his Spartan debut vs. Florida Atlantic, after which a number of catches within the final 18 straight.

• Redshirt freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic was 5-of-6 passing for 60 yards with one TD . . . Milivojevic tossed his third TD of the season, all coming within the final 4 video games, with one every at Nebraska (10/4/25) and vs. UCLA (10/11/25).

• Redshirt junior tight finish Michael Masunas caught his third TD go of the season, but additionally his first in a Big Ten sport . . . his earlier TDs got here in back-to-back video games vs. Boston College (9/6/25) and Youngstown State (9/13/25) . . . Masunas now has at the least one catch in seven of the eight video games, with the Nebraska sport the one contest with no catch.

• Senior extensive receiver Omari Kelly had three catches for 29 yards, as he has at the least one catch in all eight video games performed as a Spartan this season, as a part of a number of receptions in seven of the eight contests . . . Kelly added one punt return for 12 yards.

►DEFENSIVE NOTES                                                    

• Junior linebacker Jordan Hall led MSU with 9 tackles, marking this second-highest deal with whole of the season behind his career-high 15 tackles vs. Boston College (9/6/25) . . .  Hall has registered six or extra tackles in every of the final 4 video games as a part of six of the eight video games this season.

• Junior defensive lineman Jalen Thompson logged a career-high six tackles.

• Graduate linebacker Darius Snow logged six stops, his second-highest of the season, behind his season-best seven stops which got here towards vs. Boston College (9/6/25).

• Redshirt junior defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren posted 5 tackles, marking his fifth straight sport with 4 or extra stops and sixth time in eight video games . . . Van Sumeren additionally posted the primary go break-up of his profession.

• Senior defensive again Nikai Martinez returned to the beginning lineup for the primary time since Week 4 towards USC and logged 5 tackles, for his second sport with 5 or extra stops.

• Redshirt senior linebacker Wayne Matthews III tallied 5 stops, marking the fourth consecutive sport with 5 tackles as a part of 5 or extra tackles in seven of the eight video games.

►SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES                                                    

• Ray Guy Award Watch List member Ryan Eckley had seven punts of a 47.4 ypp common, with a protracted of 55 yards, one in every of three punts of fifty+ yards . . . Eckley had 51 and 55-yarders within the first quarter, including one other 51-yarder within the second quarter.

• Eckley now has 16 punts of fifty+ yards this season and 60 for his profession.