Happy Pat Fitzgerald Bowl day to all who celebrate. For those who have been living under a rock, Michigan State’s matchup with Northwestern in Week 7 will be Fitzgerald’s first meeting with his former school since he was let go.
His motivation to win is through the roof, but he’s been playing it off to the media this week that the game is about the players. Fitz is right, but they know how badly he wants this.
On the flip side, a second straight ex-Spartan QB1 will be returning to East Lansing for the first time since transferring to a Big Ten program. Aidan Chiles also has revenge on the mind but anyone who’s watched a Michigan State game over the past two seasons knows that Chiles gets rattled every now and then but that won’t be possible if the Spartans can’t get any pressure on him.
There’s motivation on both sides, but only one can exact some revenge. It’s time for the boldest predictions of the season.
Aidan Chiles throws his first pick of the year
Through five games and against defenses like Penn State and Indiana, Aidan Chiles has a total of zero (!!) interceptions to nine touchdowns. The issue that plagued him last year has disappeared but the nerves of returning “home” to face former teammates and friends will get to him early on and he’ll throw his first interception of the season.
What makes this even bolder is the fact that Michigan State will be without several key defensive backs like Charles Brantley and Tre Bell.
It’ll be Devin Vaught for a second straight game against an ex-Spartan.
Jaziun Patterson has first career 100-yard game
The “Jazzmanian Devil” is playing the best football of his college career and who knew all he needed was a chance? Patterson averaged 4.9 yards per carry over the past two seasons at Iowa, but he only totaled 121 carries in that time. This season, he’s up to 61 carries, surpassing his 2025 total and he’s just three away from a new career-high.
Speaking of career-highs, his 93 yards against Illinois happened to be one, but he’s never had a 100-yard game in his collegiate career. That changes against the Wildcats.
Patterson is going to have his best game as a Spartan, following up his previous best game as a Spartan. We’re starting to see what Patterson can bring to the table when given a chance and it’s been impressive. He’ll run 20 times for 115 yards and two touchdowns against a somewhat perplexing Northwestern defense that ranks 61st in yards allowed but 11th in points allowed.
Michigan State holds a fourth-quarter lead
”We’re this close. Don’t stop now.”
Those were the first words out of Fitzgerald’s mouth in this week’s game trailer ahead of the Northwestern showdown and the team truly believes what he’s telling them.
Michigan State made some big strides offensively against Illinois and the team that showed up in the second, third, and fourth quarter — and on offense in overtime — is one that could really make some noise down the stretch and shock some people. The offense was on fire against Illinois and that’s going to carry over into the “Fitzgerald Bowl”.
Unfortunately it won’t be enough as the defense will struggle to hold a late lead and the offense will run out of gas trying to bail Joe Rossi’s side of the ball out again.
Michigan State leads by three in the fourth, but it eventually loses another heartbreaker.
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