- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Michigan State Faces Tough 2026 Schedule Under New Coach Fitzgerald
Spartans will take on Notre Dame, Michigan, and Oregon in Fitzgerald's first season
Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:39pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
After the Jonathan Smith era in East Lansing, Michigan State is ready to move into a new and exciting time under head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Spartans will face a challenging 2026 schedule that includes matchups against Notre Dame, Michigan, and Oregon as Fitzgerald looks to turn the program around in his first season.
Why it matters
Michigan State is entering a new era under Fitzgerald, who will have to navigate a difficult schedule that includes several top opponents. How the Spartans perform against these challenges will set the tone for Fitzgerald's tenure and determine if the program can return to prominence in the Big Ten.
The details
Michigan State's 2026 non-conference schedule features home games against Toledo and Elon, followed by a road trip to take on Notre Dame. The Spartans then dive into Big Ten play, hosting Nebraska and Wisconsin before facing Illinois, Northwestern, UCLA, Michigan, Washington, and Oregon. The season concludes with a home game against Rutgers.
- The Big Ten released the full 2026 schedules on January 27, 2026.
- Michigan State opens the season at home against Toledo on September 5, 2026.
- The Spartans travel to South Bend to take on Notre Dame on September 19, 2026.
- Michigan State hosts Nebraska on October 3, 2026 to begin Big Ten play.
- The Spartans close the regular season at home against Rutgers on November 28, 2026.
The players
Pat Fitzgerald
The new head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, taking over the program after the Jonathan Smith era.
Kyle Whittingham
The head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, who the Spartans will face on the road in 2026.
Luke Fickell
The head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, who Michigan State will play in 2026.
What’s next
Michigan State will need to navigate a difficult non-conference schedule and Big Ten slate in Fitzgerald's first season, with key matchups against Notre Dame, Michigan, and Oregon. How the Spartans perform in these games will set the tone for the rest of Fitzgerald's tenure.
The takeaway
The 2026 schedule presents a major challenge for new Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald, as the Spartans will face several top opponents in both non-conference and Big Ten play. Fitzgerald will need to quickly get his team up to speed and prove the program can compete at a high level to restore Michigan State as a contender in the Big Ten.
