Pat Fitzgerald's Michigan State Spartans limp into game at Wisconsin

MADISON – The buzz created by Pat Fitzgerald’s hire at Michigan State in December was similar to what Wisconsin experienced when Luke Fickell arrived four years ago.

Fitzgerald went to East Lansing after three seasons away from the game following a 17-year run at Northwestern, where he is the program’s all-time wins leader. His 112 wins make him the 12th-winningest coach in Big Ten history.

His experience combined with his knowledge of the Big Ten make him an ideal fit for a program that hasn't played in a bowl game since the 2021 season.

However, maintaining the excitement of his addition once the realities of the season begin to hit is difficult.

That is the challenge for the Spartans, who limp into their Week 5 matchup with Wisconsin with a 2-2 record, fresh off their worst loss of the season and stung by injuries and poor execution.

The game, which kicks off at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 3, will be Michigan State's first trip to Camp Randall Stadium since 2019. The Spartans are an early 10 ½-point underdog and share two opponents with Wisconsin: Notre Dame, which they lost to, 27-10, in Week 3, and Eastern Michigan, a 35-7 win in Week 2.

“We're not fine now. We're going to be fine,” Fitzgerald said after the Spartans’ 31-13 loss to Nebraska at home Sept. 26. “We're going to build a program on bedrock. We're not there yet. I got it. Trust me, every day it's just going to be a relentless pursuit of getting there.”

Here is what you need to know about Michigan State.

Sparty is really banged up

Not only was Michigan State blown out in its Big Ten opener, but it may have lost its best offensive and defensive players to injuries. According to Detroit Free Press, fifth-year senior running back Cam Edwards appeared to suffer a severe leg injury in the game and senior linebacker Jordan Hall, an honorable mention all-Big Ten selection last season, was taken off the field on a cart. Neither player returned.

The team also lost guard Conner Moore during the game. Michigan State was already without junior linebacker Brady Pretzlaff, who started the first three games, and cornerbacks Tyran Chappell and Tre Bell.

One third of the way through the season the Spartans' depth has already been put to the test.

“My challenge to the guys in the locker room afterwards was some of you may have gotten your first taste of playing football at this level and in the Big Ten and my hope is that's a motivator to help [you] continue to get better,” Fitzgerald said. “But it's just a next-man-up mentality, and that's what I expect the guys will do.”

Growing pains at quarterback

Alessio Milivojevic started the final four games of 2025 at quarterback, posting a 65.4% completion percentage and 130.49 passer efficiency rating during that stretch. The Spartans went 1-3 but suffered three-point losses to Minnesota and Iowa.

The junior has posted similar overall numbers this season (67% completion rate, 135.81 pass efficiency rating), but in the last two games (Notre Dame and Nebraska) his rating has dropped to 113.50 and he hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass.

Part of the problem could be related to protection. He was sacked five times last week. Michigan State has allowed more sacks than any team in the Big Ten and ranked 134th out of 138 teams in that category.

Fitzgerald wanted to watch film of the game before assessing the play of his signal caller.

“That's the way it works for the head coach and the quarterback, right? You get way too much credit, and the blame is what it is, so if you can't handle it, you shouldn't be in the role. He's a really intelligent young man that really cares and I know he'll work his tail off to keep getting better.”

Plenty of former Badgers on Fitzgerald’s staff

There are five coaches on Fitzgerald’s staff with Wisconsin ties, including two who played for Fickell and one who was on Fickell's staff. Jake Chaney (2021-24) is the Spartans assistant defensive line coach. Grover Bortolotti (2021-25) is the assistant running backs coach to Devon Spalding, who coached the position at UW the past three seasons.

Brian Wozniak (2009-13) was part of three straight Rose Bowl teams at Wisconsin. He has been Michigan State’s tight ends coach since 2024.

Cornerbacks coach Hank Poteat coached the position at UW in 2021 and ’22.

Eli Coenen: From Baldwin, Wisconsin, to the Big Ten

There is only one Wisconsin product on the Spartans roster: senior defensive lineman Eli Coenen, a graduate of Baldwin-Woodville High School who started his career at Division II Bemidji State.

Coenen redshirted in 2023 then posted 20 tackles, 5 ½ tackles for a loss and two sacks in 2024 for Bemidji.

He transferred to Illinois last season, played in every game and recorded eight tackles. The 6-foot-6, 287-pound player already has surpassed that production this season. He has 12 tackles and leads the team in sacks (three) and tackles for loss (three) and has played more snaps than anyone at his position.