Michigan State’s 2026 Football Schedule Is Here

The Big Ten Network dropped Michigan State's 2026 schedule on Tuesday, and it's got a little bit of everything: two "get your feet under you" games, a trip to South Bend and a November that doesn't mess around.

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It will also be the Spartans' first season under new head coach Pat Fitzgerald, so this slate is the first real look at what that era might feel like week to week.

Full Michigan State 2026 Schedule

Here's the rundown, with dates and opponents.

• Sept. 5: Toledo (home)
• Sept. 12: Eastern Michigan (home)
• Sept. 19: at Notre Dame
• Sept. 26: Nebraska (home)
• Oct. 3: at Wisconsin
• Oct. 10: Illinois (home)
• Oct. 17: Northwestern (home)
• Oct. 24: at UCLA
• Oct. 31: Bye week
• Nov. 7: at Michigan
• Nov. 14: Washington (home)
• Nov. 21: Oregon (home)
• Nov. 28: at Rutgers

Biggest Home Games at Spartan Stadium

Seven games will be at home in East Lansing, and the home highlights are pretty obvious: Nebraska in late September, then Washington and Oregon back-to-back in November.

Toughest Road Trips on the Slate

The road list will be a mix of travel and some tradition: Notre Dame, Wisconsin, UCLA, Michigan, and Rutgers.

A couple of quick notes. That week 3 Notre Dame trip is the early prove-it spot, and it is followed by a Big Ten opener at home against Nebraska. The bye landing right before the Michigan game is about as convenient as it gets, and the midseason flow alternates nicely between home dates and on-the-road games.

October has a comfy stretch too, with Illinois and Northwestern coming to town before the UCLA trip, so there's a chance to build momentum heading into the bye week.

Then it is a heavyweight finish at Spartan Stadium with Washington and Oregon on consecutive Saturdays before the regular season wraps up at Rutgers.