Michigan State football has a lot of questions to answer right now.
Following a 38-13 loss to UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Spartans (3-3) suddenly look like one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. And now they’re gearing up to face who could be the conference’s best team in undefeated Indiana (6-0).
The Spartans head on the road to face the Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the broadcast streaming exclusively on Peacock.
Michigan State seems entirely unprepared to face Indiana, currently the No. 3-ranked team in the country, after their homecoming loss to UCLA on Saturday. The question for the Spartans revolves less around if they have a chance to win and more around if they’ll show any signs of quality they showed in earlier performances against Boston College and USC.
This could be a significant test for second-year coach Jonathan Smith, who could soon face calls to be bought out of his contract, if those haven’t started already.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming Big Ten matchup.
Michigan State vs Indiana football prediction, pick
Table of Contents
Michigan State vs Indiana truly is one of the best matchups in the country, even if the recently underperforming Hoosiers are leaning on new coach Darian DeVries against the legend Tom Izzo and a Spartans team looking to …
Oh, wait — we’re talking about football?
Yeah, Michigan State basically has no shot at winning.
The Hoosiers, coming off a surprise appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff, may have two of the best wins in all of college football on the season so far with a 63-10 victory over Illinois and a 30-20 win on the road over Oregon, who was previously the No. 2 team in the country. The Spartans, meanwhile, are quickly backsliding into obscurity after blowing two winnable games against Nebraska and UCLA, now facing a possibility where they don’t win another game all season.
The odds for a Michigan State upset aren’t at zero, as we’ve already seen arguably a more improbable upset when an 0-4 UCLA team defeated Penn State and sent Nittany Lions’ coach James Franklin on the road to unemployment. But as a 26½ point underdog against a program they have beaten 51 out of 71 overall matchups, it doesn’t get much lower right now for Michigan State.
The best that the Spartans can reasonably hope for is more consistency on the offensive line and a re-established connection between quarterback Aidan Chiles and his receiving corps (if Chiles even plays), most notably with sophomore Nick Marsh. But considering the opponent, it might be best to keep your expectations low. The pick: Indiana 42, MSU 17.
Michigan State vs Indiana football channel
Michigan State’s matchup vs Indiana will not be broadcasted on a traditional television channel. Instead, it will be broadcasted exclusively on Peacock, which means you’ll need a smart device and an internet connection to watch it.
- Kickoff: 3:30 PM.
- TV channel: N/A.
- Streaming: Peacock.
- Radio: Wjr-Am 760 (Detroit).
Watch Michigan State vs Indiana on Peacock
Michigan State vs Indiana odds, betting lines
The Spartans are heavy underdogs against the Hoosiers heading into their Week 8 matchup.
- Spread: Indiana by 26½ points.
- Over/under: 52½ points.
- Moneyline: Michigan State (+1500), Indiana (-5000).
Michigan State football 2025 schedule
- Week 1: W, 23-6 vs Western Michigan.
- Week 2: W, 42-40 vs Boston College.
- Week 3: W, 41-24 vs Youngstown State.
- Week 4: L, 45-31 at USC.
- Week 5: Bye week.
- Week 6: L, 38-27 at Nebraska.
- Week 7: L, 38-13 vs UCLA.
- Week 8: at Indiana, Oct. 18, 3:30 p.m. ET (Peacock).
- Week 9: vs Michigan, Oct. 25, TBA.
- Week 10: at Minnesota, Nov. 1, TBA.
- Week 11: Bye week.
- Week 12: vs Penn State, Nov. 15, TBA.
- Week 13: at Iowa, Nov. 22, TBA.
- Week 14 vs Maryland, Nov. 29, TBA (game at Ford Field).
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
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