Michigan State Football Is Back: 3 Bold Week One Prediction

It’s been 84 years.

Well, maybe it hasn’t actually been as long as it took Rose from Titanic to think about the events of the sinking ship, but to Spartan football fans—and college football fans everywhere—it feels like an eternity since we last watched the Hoosiers hoist the national championship trophy or even just saw Alessio Milivojevic throw a touchdown for Michigan State.

Whether you're a Spartan fan or simply a college football fan, there’s no hiding the excitement seeping out of every pore as the long-awaited return of college football is finally here.

Week Zero may have given fans a small appetizer, but the real feast begins this upcoming weekend with Week One.

Now, Week One of college football doesn't always provide the biggest matchups between top-ranked opponents. Most programs schedule what they hope will be manageable games to begin the season, attempting to preserve their records before conference play begins. For some, that can be a bit of a turnoff.

But for the real college football fans, it doesn't matter who the opponent is.

It's game day.

The Spartans will kick off their 2026 season Friday night at Spartan Stadium against the Toledo Rockets, a team projected by many to compete for—and potentially win—the MAC Conference.

Michigan State enters the season following a massive overhaul of both its roster and coaching staff. Friday night will be the first real opportunity to see just how quickly this new-look program can come together.

The offseason talk is finally coming to a close.

No more projections. No more hypotheticals. No more pretending spring practices and fall camp can tell us everything we need to know.

Now comes the fun part.

Every play, every snap, every decision will be dissected as fans attempt to figure out what went right, what went wrong, and what could potentially make this Michigan State team better.

It's everyone's favorite time of year: sitting on the couch and yelling that a play should have gone another way—or that a completely different play should have been called—while possessing absolutely no coaching experience beyond Friday night lights.

But that's what football is all about.

Sports bring people together to predict, debate, celebrate, and, of course, complain about everything that happens from a bird's-eye view.

So, let's take those offseason assumptions and put them into three bold predictions for how Michigan State's Week One matchup against Toledo could play out.

The first Week One prediction starts with the quarterback.

More specifically, the offense as a whole.

Milivojevic should have opportunities to move the football against Toledo. While Michigan State's pass-catching group may appear shaky on paper, it's up to the quarterback to put his receivers in the right positions and allow them opportunities to make plays.

That responsibility will also fall on new offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan.

I believe Milivojevic and Sheridan could work together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, helping lead the Spartans to a productive offensive performance in the season opener.

Two touchdown passes feels like a reasonable expectation—and could be the perfect way for Milivojevic to officially introduce himself to Spartan Stadium.

If the Michigan State offense is going to have the type of day I expect, there will need to be plenty of points.

And with plenty of points come touchdowns.

Yes, my first prediction has Milivojevic throwing two touchdown passes, and this prediction may seem a little bold. But in Week One, Cam Edwards has an opportunity to remind Spartan fans exactly what he brings to the offense.

Edwards could emphasize his talents by bulldozing his way into the end zone twice on the ground.

A strong rushing attack would not only take pressure off Milivojevic but also establish the offensive identity Michigan State hopes to carry throughout the season.

Two rushing touchdowns from Edwards could help the Spartans kick off their season with a statement victory.

Something being criminally overlooked heading into the season is Michigan State's ability to attack the quarterback.

The competition will obviously become significantly tougher once Big Ten play arrives, but during the early portion of the schedule, the Spartans have an opportunity to showcase what could become one of the team's biggest strengths.

Players like Kenny Spoares Jr. and Anelu Lafaele should be able to put consistent pressure on Toledo's quarterback, creating havoc in the backfield and demonstrating just how dangerous Michigan State's pass rush could become this season.

Six sacks may sound like a lofty number.

But Week One is about making statements.

And if Michigan State wants to show fans that this rebuilt team is ready to turn the page, there may be no better way to start than by making Toledo's quarterback uncomfortable all night long.

The wait is finally over.

The predictions are in, the offseason conversations are finished, and now it's time to stop guessing and start watching.

Friday night, Spartan football is officially back.

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