Who doesn’t love preseason predictions?
Michigan State football will open the 2023 season in less than two weeks against Central Michigan on Sept. 1. The Spartans are coming off an abysmal 5-7 season in 2022 and looking to regain some momentum for the program this upcoming year.
The staff here at Spartans Wire is ready to let you know what they think as the three-person team has their game predictions ready.
Will Michigan State bounce back from a terrible 2022 season and get back on track as a program? Can the Spartans pull off a major upset and return to the postseason?
Find out below:
September 1 vs. Central Michigan
Andrew Brewster: I think this will be a frustrating game to watch, as we would all like to see it be a blowout, but I don’t think CMU will really have the firepower to scare what should be the best MSU defense under Mel Tucker.
MSU – 24, Central Michigan – 6
Cory Linsner: This is a game all of Spartan Nation wants to see MSU take care of easily and swiftly, but I don’t think its going to be that easy. This game has shades of the WMU game last year, and CMU is going to pesty for a little too long for this game.
MSU – 38, Central Michigan – 20
Robert Bondy: The final score won’t be a fair representation of how this game played out as I expect this to be tighter than fans would like until the fourth quarter. Michigan State will eventually wear down the Chips and pull away late.
MSU – 34, Central Michigan – 17
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 32-14, starts 1-0
September 9 vs. Richmond
Andrew Brewster: Richmond is a good team, this isn’t a cupcake FCS auto-win. But I think by this second game, the Spartans should start to get clicking on offense.
MSU – 41, Richmond – 20
Cory Linsner: Richmond won’t be a pushover, a top 20 FCS team, the Spiders will be gamers but MSU should have enough to eventually pull away in this game.
MSU – 41, Richmond – 17
Robert Bondy: Richmond is a traditionally solid FCS program so don’t expect this to be a walk in the park for the Spartans. There will be a noticeable talent gap, though, and that’s the difference in this matchup.
MSU – 41, Richmond – 13
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 41-17, moves to 2-0
September 16 vs. Washington
Andrew Brewster: I’m going the opposite way of Cory on this one, and I think the Spartans hold down their home field and get revenge on the Huskies. Last year’s game started about as bad as possible, but I think the Spartans have more dawgs on defense this year that should be able to contain Michael Penix Jr. better than they did last year.
MSU – 35, Washington – 31
Cory Linsner: Call me crazy, but I feel oddly confident about this game. It is always tough for a west coast team to travel east, and as long as the Spartans stay healthy, they should be an improved team from a year ago. I just cannot bring myself to predict a Spartans win here albeit a close game.
MSU – 31, Washington – 35
Robert Bondy: Mel Tucker has proven each year that he’ll win a game he’s not supposed to win (and also lose a game he shouldn’t). This is the one he finds a way to win. An improved and healthy defense is the difference in Michigan State pulling the upset against the Huskies.
MSU – 31, Washington – 27
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 32-31, moves to 3-0
September 23 vs. Maryland
Andrew Brewster: This isn’t the Maryland Terrapins of old. Taulia Tagovailoa could be a legit Heisman trophy contender this year, but I think the Spartans win this one in a shootout behind a revamped running game.
MSU – 35, Maryland – 31
Cory Linsner: If MSU were to beat UW, this has trap game written all over it. Either way, this is a match-up I think MSU sets up well for.
MSU – 28, Maryland – 17
Robert Bondy: Maryland returns one of the top quarterbacks in the league in Taulia Tagovailoa but he isn’t as dangerous on the road. I anticipate the Spartans are rolling at this point in the year and continue to move forward with a narrow victory over the Terps.
MSU – 28, Maryland – 24
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 30-24, moves to 4-0
September 30 at Iowa
Andrew Brewster: Iowa should be a lot better this year. However, they’ve been rough on offense for years now, and I don’t know if a Cade McNamara who has recently struggled with a non-contact knee injury is going to be the answer. This will be a tough game, but I’m drinking the Kool-Aid here.
MSU – 17, Iowa -10
Cory Linsner: This is the first game of 2023 I see the Spartans having a true hiccup in. Kinnick is a tough place to play and Iowa should be a much-improved team this season.
MSU – 16, Iowa – 31
Robert Bondy: This is where I have the Spartans’ undefeated run coming to an end. Beating Iowa on the road is never easy, especially when they have a competent offense — which I think they’ll have this year.
MSU – 20, Iowa – 31
Site pick and running record: Michigan State loses 24-18, drops to 4-1
October 14 at Rutgers
Andrew Brewster: Do you see a trend here? I don’t think this Michigan State team is going to kill teams, but I do think they have the weapons and tools to pull out some gutsy wins. I think they do that against a very competent Rutgers team.
MSU – 31, Rutgers – 27
Cory Linsner: Greg Schiano has slowly moved the trajectory up for Rutgers in his tenure, and Rutgers has played MSU tough. I think it’ll be close but MSU will pull away late.
MSU – 34, Rutgers – 24
Robert Bondy: This could be a trap game for the Spartans with their in-state rivalry matchup against Michigan the following week. But coming off a bye, I would be shocked if the Spartans were caught looking ahead here.
MSU – 27, Rutgers -13
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 31-21, moves to 5-1
October 21 vs. Michigan
Andrew Brewster: Look, I’ve been probably more optimistic in these predictions than most would following a disappointing year for MSU. But I wouldn’t be doing my job if I told you MSU was going to beat Michigan this year. Could it happen? Of course, literally anything is possible in this rivalry. But will it happen? Well, that’s not likely as Michigan is going to be a top-5 team, and that ranking is well-deserved. MSU will have to prove they can do it without Kenneth Walker before they are given the benefit of the doubt in games like this.
MSU – 17, Michigan – 42
Cory Linsner: No Spartan fan wants to hear it but Michigan is a top five team in the country and this is going to be a very tough game for MSU to pull out. The Spartans always play UM tough at home, but Michigan will edge this one out.
MSU – 17, Michigan – 26
Robert Bondy: Could Michigan State pull the upset over the Wolverines? Yes, it’s definitely possible. But I fear rival Michigan will ultimately wear down the Spartans late in the game with their potent rushing attack and that’s the difference in a game that’ll be much closer than many expect it to be.
MSU – 22, Michigan – 27
Site pick and running record: Michigan State loses 32-19, drops to 5-2
October 28 at Minnesota
Andrew Brewster: Another revenge game for Sparty, as Minnesota handled MSU last year. I think this Michigan State team will come out ready to dominate after a loss to rival Michigan.
MSU – 35, Minnesota -20
Cory Linsner: This will be a tough game to get up for after Michigan, and Minnesota is a sneaky team this season. MSU has won its last 3 games following losses to Michigan, and I think they do it here.
MSU – 27, Minnesota – 20
Robert Bondy: Remember how I said Michigan State will lose a game they shouldn’t? This is going to be that game. Minnesota is poised for a down year in 2023 but they’ll find a way to knock off the Spartans in this one to spoil their hot start to the season.
MSU – 24, Minnesota – 28
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 29-22, moves to 6-2
November 4 vs. Nebraska
Andrew Brewster: I think Nebraska under Matt Rhule will be better than under Scott Frost, but I will need to see how Jeff Sims, a Georgia Tech transfer, plays before I’m ready to say they will beat MSU here.
MSU – 31, Nebraska – 23
Cory Linsner: Every season has a game where losing just doesn’t feel right but happens, this will be that game.
MSU – 23, Nebraska – 27
Robert Bondy: Michigan State clinches a bowl berth in an overtime thriller over the Cornhuskers (just like two years ago). These are a pair of equally matched teams but the Spartans need the win more to avoid their fourth loss in their last five games.
MSU – 34, Nebraska – 31
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 29-27, moves to 7-2
November 11 at Ohio State
Andrew Brewster: Same as Michigan. U of M and Ohio State have earned their reputation. Michigan State will have to prove they can hang with those teams before I predict them to win a game like this.
MSU – 28, Ohio State – 45
Cory Linsner: I will not pick MSU to win or be close in a game with OSU until they prove they belong there.
MSU – 21, Ohio State – 45
Robert Bondy: Tucker has yet to keep it close against the Buckeyes in his first three meetings and sadly I don’t think that’ll be any different this year. Ohio State rolls to remain unbeaten on the year.
MSU – 20, Ohio State – 44
Site pick and running record: Michigan State loses 45-23, drops to 7-3
November 18 at Indiana
Andrew Brewster: That’s right, I’m predicting another close one here.
MSU – 28, Indiana -24
Cory Linsner: MSU should bounce back well from a two game skid to take care of business against IU, securing a bowl game, something they failed to do a year ago.
MSU – 34, Indiana – 21
Robert Bondy: There’s a strong chance Indiana will be playing for an interim head coach by this point in the year so I feel good about the Spartans taking back the Brass Spitton. Michigan State doesn’t take its foot off the gas pedal like last year and throttles the Hoosiers in Bloomington.
MSU – 45, Indiana -13
Site pick and running record: Michigan State wins 36-19, moves to 8-3
November 24 vs. Penn State (Detroit, MI)
Andrew Brewster: This is going to be a fun game at Ford Field, but Penn State is a very good team. I think it ends in a loss but caps off a surprisingly solid bounce back season so fans don’t go home too sad.
MSU – 31, Penn State – 41
Cory Linsner: Penn State is the most underrated team in the Big Ten this season if you ask me. Ford Field will be a fun environment, but the Nittany Lions will be too much for MSU.
MSU – 24, Penn State – 41
Robert Bondy: Penn State would be the favorite to win the Big Ten in most seasons but isn’t getting as much buzz as Ohio State and Michigan. I have the Nittany Lions at 10-1 coming into this game with an outside chance at reaching the Big Ten Championship Game if they win and get some luck in other games played the next day. Michigan State keeps it close throughout but Penn State holds on to win late.
MSU – 27, Penn State – 34
Site pick and running record: Michigan State loses 39-27, drops to 8-4
Overall Record and Bowl Projections
Here are the record breakdowns based on each of our game-by-game predictions:
Andrew Brewster: 9-3 (6-3 in Big Ten)
Cory Linsner: 6-6 (4-5 in Big Ten)
Robert Bondy: 7-5 (4-5 in Big Ten)
Site: 8-4 (5-4 in Big Ten)
Here are the bowl projections from each of us:
Andrew Brewster: Capital One Orange Bowl – This will be like a remix of Michigan State’s Peach Bowl game against Pitt.
Cory Linsner: Guaranteed Rate Bowl – I think MSU will do just enough to avoid the Quick Lane Bowl and will head out west to Phoenix for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
Robert Bondy: Las Vegas Bowl – Michigan State fans travel well so they’ll be rewarded with a decent bowl bid despite an average record. As Cory said above, the Guaranteed Rate Bowl is another good landing spot for Michigan State this year.
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