Michigan State football: Official 2025 Big Ten schedule revealed

Michigan State football knew its opponents for the 2025 Big Ten season but it didn’t know the order.

Until Wednesday.

The official order of Big Ten opponents and the weeks that they’ll face each other has officially been revealed on Big Ten Network and the Spartans start with three road games in their first four conference games. That’s probably the toughest stretch of the season but there really aren’t any “gimmes” on the slate.

Our 2025 schedule is set 🗓️✅ pic.twitter.com/bGM2FLBZ1Y

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) December 11, 2024

Michigan State opens with a road game against USC in Week 4 before getting a bye from Big Ten play in Week 5. They return to face Nebraska in Lincoln in Week 6, UCLA at home in Week 7, and then the Spartans will go to Bloomington to face the Indiana Hoosiers fresh off they playoff season.

The Spartans will then play host to Michigan in Week 9 for what should be one of the most anticipated games of the season before going to Minnesota in Week 10. They’ll face Penn State after a Week 11 bye at home and then go to Iowa to close out road play in Week 13. Michigan State will end the season with Maryland at home which might just be the only likely win other than UCLA on the schedule. Honestly, despite avoiding Oregon and Ohio State, this schedule doesn’t set up many “easy” stretches.

The tone is really set with the three road games in the first four Big Ten games. Also, there are no consecutive home games on the entire conference schedule. Michigan State has five road games to four home games. Not exactly a walk in the park.

If Michigan State can go 2-2 or 3-1 in its first four conference games, I like its chances to surprise some people next year.

Indiana, Penn State, and potentially Michigan will be the ranked opponents on the schedule and the Spartans play them in three out of four weeks in the middle of the slate.

Jonathan Smith is facing a prove-it season with this schedule.