Overview
- Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET at Spartan Stadium on CBS, with both teams 3-6 overall and 0-6 in Big Ten play as the Land Grant Trophy is contested.
- Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12 and has dropped six straight in the league under interim coach Terry Smith, with Drew Allar out for the season and Ethan Grunkemeyer starting at quarterback.
- Michigan State’s starting quarterback remains unsettled between Alessio Milivojevic and Aidan Chiles after Milivojevic threw for 311 yards in an overtime loss at Minnesota, placing added pressure on an injury-hit offensive line.
- Oddsmakers list Penn State as a 7-point favorite, and regional previews largely lean toward the Nittany Lions in a one-score game.
- Michigan State is dealing with NCAA fallout that wipes out 14 wins from 2022–24, while both programs seek to keep faint bowl hopes alive in the season’s final stretch.