The forecast predicts that the high will be 27 and the low will be 13.
Spartans close monumental day with dominant win over Iowa
EAST LANSING– No. 7 Michigan State men’s basketball welcomed first-year Iowa head coach Ben McCollum to the Big Ten with a commanding 71-52 win in the conference opener. The Spartans improved to 8-0 on the season, their best start since the 2015-16 season. It was a slow start, with both sides adjusting to Big Ten play; neither team cracked double digits until the 9:52 mark in the first half. The Spartans dominated the glass, snatching 20 more rebounds than the Hawkeyes. Senior forward Jaxon Kohler was the Spartans’ leading rebounder, collecting 11 en route to another double-double. The long-awaited matchup against the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils is set for Saturday, Dec. 7, at 12 p.m. Catch the broadcast live from the Breslin Center with Joe Dez and Jack Stager on the call.
No. 3 MSU hockey set for series against rival No. 1 Michigan
For the 13 newcomers on the Spartan hockey roster, this weekend will serve as an introduction to rivalry hockey. No. 3 Michigan State hockey will take on No. 1 Michigan, splitting home ice.
The Spartans will host Game 1 of the series on Friday, Dec. 5, in Munn Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 8:30 p.m. EST on the Big Ten Network.
MSU enters the series 11-3-0 overall and 4-2-0 in Big Ten play. Similarly, Michigan holds a 15-3-0 record, 6-2-0 in conference action. Last season, the rivals split both series against each other.
This weekend is not only a rivalry series but also a matchup between two of the best hockey programs in the country — something both sides must be ready to answer.
Inside Pat Fitzgerald’s $30 million contract and incentives
Win and get paid. That is essentially what Pat Fitzgerald’s contract spells out. The new Michigan State football head coach, who was hired Monday and officially introduced Tuesday, has agreed to a five-year deal worth $30 million that will extend through Jan. 31, 2031, according to a terms sheet obtained by The State News. Fitzgerald’s annual base salary will be $4 million for each of the five seasons. This does not account for supplemental pay, which starts at $1 million and increases by $500,000 annually. There are 13 incentive possibilities in Fitzgerald’s contract. If Fitzgerald were to achieve all 13 of these, then he would yield $3,585,000. In summary, if Fitzgerald wins, he makes money. The contract would make Fitzgerald the 47th highest-paid head coach in college football, tied with Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, who also makes $5 million per year, according to USATODAY. This ranking does not include incentives.
MSU punter Ryan Eckley declares for the NFL draft
Just an hour before Michigan State football introduced Pat Fitzgerald as its next head coach, redshirt junior punter Ryan Eckley made news of his own. The Florida native declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on Tuesday afternoon, announcing on Instagram that he will forego his final year of eligibility instead of returning for his senior season in East Lansing. If Eckley is drafted in April, he would become the second straight Michigan State starting punter to hear his name called, following former teammate — and current New England Patriots punter — Bryce Baringer. Baringer was selected 192nd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft after an All-American season in which he was named the Big Ten Punter of the Year. Eckley will now look to do the same: get drafted and turn the opportunity into a career in the NFL. “Thank you Michigan State and the entire Spartan Nation for the love and support. Go Green forever,” Eckley wrote
