Michigan State football: Kickoff time announced for Senior Day vs. Penn State

After a devastating overtime loss at Minnesota, Jonathan Smith and Michigan State football head into its second bye week of the year needing to win three straight games in order to make a bowl.

To conclude the 2025 season at Spartan Stadium, MSU will host the Penn State Nittany Lions at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on CBS or the Big Ten Network.

Coming into 2025, Penn State was far and away the toughest test on MSU’s schedule. Former Penn State head coach James Franklin and his squad — who returned a number of potential NFL Draft picks — had national title hopes before three straight losses ended their playoff dreams and, ultimately, Franklin’s job.

Fast forward to the beginning of November: Penn State is likely Jonathan Smith’s most vulnerable opponent left in this season from hell. Michigan State ends the year traveling to Kinnick Stadium to face a surging Iowa team and caps the season off at Ford Field against Maryland in a potential matchup between two interim coaches.

Michigan State is still searching for its first conference win of 2025. In a season where the minimum expectation was simply to return to bowl eligibility — and with the addition of new Athletic Director J. Batt — this may be Smith’s final game at Spartan Stadium. Even if the team finishes the year perfectly, it may be too little, too late for Smith and his staff. A hungry AD who prioritizes football could very well want to bring in his own guy.

Although the wheels have fallen off the 2025 season, I still urge fans to show up and support the seniors. These players have poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this program and aren’t the reason the team missed expectations — it’s the coaching staff that failed to put them in a position to win.