Monday, January 5, 2026

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Sports

FOOTBALL

One snap away

In one snap, Kirk Cousins’ role on the MSU football team could change dramatically. One hard hit on senior quarterback Brian Hoyer and the redshirt freshman would have to trade his headset for his helmet and run onto the field to lead the Spartans.

SPORTS

Prognosticators

There are so many choices in life. What top should I wear? Should I go trick o’ treating tonight? But have no fear! When it comes to sports, the prognosticators make the choices for you!

SOCCER

MSU finishes regular season with U-M tilt

Just because there are no shoulder pads or helmets doesn’t mean the MSU-Michigan rivalry holds any less weight on a soccer field. Ask the Spartans women’s soccer team — they aren’t shy about letting everyone know the importance of Friday’s 3 p.m. contest.

VOLLEYBALL

George wants volleyball team to keep relaxing

Last weekend, volleyball head coach Cathy George told her team it needed to loosen up. The team, riding a four-game losing streak and just coming off an embarrassing 3-0 loss at home to then-No. 19 Illinois, was playing stiff and wasn’t bringing its unique personalities to the court, George said.

SPORTS

Spartans preparing for tough assignment

When the No. 10 MSU field hockey team faces off against No. 8 Penn State this weekend, it will be the classic battle of a great offense against a great defense. MSU, coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to Iowa last weekend, has the best offense in the Big Ten, owning league highs in scoring average, shots per game, goals scored per game and assists per game.

BASKETBALL

Izzo seeks more effort, vocal leadership from team

You don’t have to do much to upset MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo. That’s nothing new. But as a team, the Spartans won’t have much time to apologize to the coaching staff for being too soft and lackadaisical in their second week of practice — as the 14th-year head coach plans to swamp his squad with two-a-days, one practice immediately followed by another after a short break.

BASKETBALL

Freshmen looking to make immediate impact for Spartans

It wasn’t anything personal, but in all honesty, Porschè Poole didn’t like Courtney Schiffauer in high school. That’s how it went in Ohio’s Federal League Conference when Poole, a 5-foot-8 guard at McKinley High School, constantly battled Boardman High School and Schiffauer, Boardman’s standout 6-foot-1 forward throughout their high school years.

FOOTBALL

All grown up

After MSU’s 35-21 victory over Michigan on Saturday, Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer entered the postgame media room, a square cement area under Michigan Stadium. The room was filled with cameras, media members and a table with three chairs set up under the only decoration in the room: a black, vinyl covering with the U-M block “M” and Big Ten Network logos scattered all over it. “Take it down!” said someone in the media.

SPORTS

Hoyer's skills take MSU to 35-21 win over in-state rival

With seven yards to the end zone, three minutes on the clock and the weight of a state’s expectations on his shoulders Saturday against Michigan, the call came in for Brian Hoyer to throw the ball on third-and-a-career. U-M, the down-and-out rival trailing by a touchdown in the defining game of its season, needed one stop to force a field goal.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans take 3-of-4 points from Northern Michigan

The horn sounded throughout the latter half of Saturday night’s MSU hockey game at Munn Ice Arena, but it wasn’t the horn to signify a goal being scored — it was the horn to signify a fire. Thankfully Munn didn’t go up in smoke, and despite a few stoppages, the errant false alarm didn’t disrupt the No. 12 Spartans’ performance as they won Saturday’s game 2-0 and took 3-of-4 points during the weekend series against No. 18 Northern Michigan.

FOOTBALL

Go green go white

One year ago, Blair White was a walk-on at MSU, stuck on special teams while occasionally seeing time at wide receiver. Saturday morning, he was an afterthought — just another wide receiver filling a role as the No. 3 man on the MSU depth chart. But by Saturday evening, Blair White was a household name for MSU football fans across the country, as the junior hauled in four catches for 143 yards and a touchdown — the first of his career — in MSU’s 35-21 victory over Michigan.