Penn State football takes on Michigan State on the road on Saturday, Nov. 15 with kickoff slated for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. The game can also be streamed on Paramount+.
Complete guide to Penn State at Michigan State: How to watch, odds, weather and more
One team in East Lansing is coming out with its first Big Ten win of the season. Both the Nittany Lions and Spartans hold 3-6 overall records and 0-6 conference records. Unlike Michigan State, this trajectory of the 2025 season was unexpected for Penn State. For the Spartans, it was a disappointing reality they and head coach Jonathan Smith faced after hoping for a better season than 2024 where they finished 3-6 in the Big Ten.
The last time these two teams won a game in 2025 was Sept. 13. On Saturday, that narrative will flip for one of the two that wins its way to claiming the Land Grant Trophy.
Line: Penn State -7.5
Money Line: Penn State -275, Michigan State +225
Over/Under: 49.5
Here are our team's predictions for how Saturday's Nittany Lions at Spartans contest plays out:
Sydney Ciano - Penn State 28, Michigan State 17
The Nittany Lions almost upset No. 2 Indiana in Week 11, and arguably played their best game of 2025 yet. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer is starting to look like a promising future for Penn State while advancing each Saturday. As Grunkemeyer instills confidence in the offense with his calm, collected nature and interim head coach Terry Smith continues firing up the locker room, it should be expected for the Nittany Lions to carry that energy from Indiana into East Lansing.
While Grunkemeyer was pushed into his starting role, the Spartans have yet to trust one healthy quarterback as Aiden Chiles and Alessio Milivojevic split time under center throughout the season. Two weeks ago, Milivojevic took on the starting role in hopes of sparking something on offense and a quarterback competition. If Milivojevic starts on Saturday, which is likely, it'll be a battle of two redshirt freshmen.
Unfortunately for Michigan State, its facing a defense that played like a preseason No. 2 team just a week ago. On top of that, the Spartans' offense is facing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Even though the defense allowed an average of 30.7 points over the past nine games, six are Top 25 teams. Michigan State is nowhere near that.
The Nittany Lions also have a weight hanging heavy on their shoulders: the possibility of going winless in the Big Ten. After almost beating the Hoosiers, it's almost certain Penn State won't allow that to happen. The Spartans are the first to defeat on the way to a 6-6 finish.
Myles Hannak - Penn State 24, Michigan State 20