Michigan State football is still absolutely battered by injuries, even after a bye week that was supposed to get them healthy. Heading into Saturday’s massive rivalry showdown against Michigan in Ann Arbor, the Spartans are looking at a brutal list of unavailable players all over the field.
The Injury Bug Just Won’t Quit
Seriously, this is rough. The Big Ten’s initial availability report dropped, and it’s a gut punch. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic remains questionable, and running back Jaziun Patterson is still out. But that’s just the start. We’re talking 13 players officially listed as out for MSU and another five questionable for the game. That’s a huge chunk of the roster, especially when you consider this is the “Battle for Paul Bunyan” and MSU is already sitting at a tough 2-6 (0-5 Big Ten) record, entering as a 13 ½-point underdog.
New names popped up on the report, too, like tight end Jayden Savoury, who is questionable. The guy’s been a beast, tying for the Big Ten lead in catches with 29 and racking up 271 receiving yards. He’s emerged as the true starter at tight end this season, and his status is a huge question mark for an offense that needs all the help it can get. Losing him, or even having him at less than 100%, would be a massive blow.
Offense and Defense Are Just Decimated
Milivojevic’s status is critical for an offense that looked absolutely lost, putting up a season-low 156 yards against UCLA. They had to roll with third-stringer Kayd Coffman in that game, with both Milivojevic and backup Cam Fancher (who’s still out, by the way) inactive. Coffman started hot, throwing a 14-yard touchdown on his fourth straight completion, but then it all fell apart with six straight incompletions and an interception. Fourth-string Leo Hannan didn’t fare any better. What kind of stability can you expect when you’re digging that deep into the depth chart at QB?
The run game, which is historically key to winning this rivalry (49 of the last 56 victors crushed it on the ground), is somehow even worse. They are down to their *fourth-string* running backs with Cam Edwards out for the season with a knee injury, and both Jaziun Patterson and Marvis Parrish out. Kenneth Williams is the next man up, and against UCLA, he only managed 54 yards on 17 carries, with nine of those carries going for three yards or less. You can’t win big games, especially rivalry games, if you can’t run the ball effectively.
Defensively, it’s not much better. For the last two games, against Northwestern and UCLA, the Spartans have been without any of their top four cornerbacks: Tyran Chappell, Tre Bell, Charles Brantley, and Keshawn Williams. Chappell and Keshawn Williams are listed questionable for Saturday. They’ve been starting fifth-year NiJhay Burt and freshman Jeremiah Favorite. That’s a huge amount of inexperience in a crucial part of the defense.
And then there’s the defensive line and secondary. Defensive tackle Ben Roberts, who was having a breakout season that even piqued the interest of NFL scouts, is out after leaving the Rose Bowl field in a wheelchair with a knee brace. That’s a scary sight, suggesting his season might be done. Safety Devin Vaught, who is responsible for three of MSU’s five takeaways this season including two forced fumbles, is also questionable after getting hurt against UCLA. At linebacker, Jordan Hall is out for his third straight game, and fifth of the season, after being seen in a sling against UCLA. Fullback Jay Coyne is out for his sixth straight game, along with freshmen offensive lineman Tristan Comer and tight end Joe Caudill.
The list just keeps going.
What’s Next for the Spartans?
The updates to this injury report are set to drop Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, then again two hours before Saturday’s 7:30 PM kickoff. We’ll be watching to see if any of these questionable guys can miraculously suit up. For Michigan State, already reeling at 2-6, this rivalry game against Michigan (5-3, 2-3) is huge, but it’s going to be an uphill battle with so many key players sidelined or banged up. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a team trying to find any kind of spark in a brutal season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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