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Michigan State basketball unveils complete 2025-26 non-conference schedule

ByConnor Muldowney|
Mar 30, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half in the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament against the Auburn Tigers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Mar 30, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half in the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament against the Auburn Tigers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It's only September, and it feels like all the experts are already ruling Michigan State basketball out of the Big Ten title race. Just months ago, the Spartans secured their first Big Ten title since 2020 by a whopping three games, and they made a run to the Elite Eight.

Now, after losing guys like Jaden Akins, Tre Holloman, and Jase Richardson from that elite backcourt, experts have been calling Michigan State a "borderline" top-five team in the Big Ten.

That's slanderous.

Michigan State brings back a core of Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Carson Cooper, and Jaxon Kohler, and the Spartans also bring in a solid two-man recruiting class and three quality transfers, but one (Kaleb Glenn) suffered an injury and will miss the entire season. Still, this roster has what it takes to push for a repeat in the Big Ten.

That quest for a repeat will officially start in December when early Big Ten play begins, but the program unveiled its non-conference schedule on Tuesday, so the quest for national title No. 2 begins on Oct. 23 with the first of two non-conference battles.

Bowling Green and Tum Tum Nairn will get things kicked off on Oct. 23, and if you remember, the Falcons gave the Spartans all they could handle this past season in East Lansing. Following that, Michigan State will head to UConn to play the Huskies on Oct. 28 in the final preseason game.

Colgate will be the first real opponent on the schedule on Nov. 3, and then Arkansas will come to the Breslin Center on Nov. 8. That will be the first huge showdown of the season for Izzo and the Spartans. San Jose State will break up the gauntlet a bit before Michigan State faces Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Nov. 18. Detroit and East Carolina will give the Spartans a slight break before facing North Carolina on Nov. 27 and then Duke on Dec. 6.

Somewhere in early December the Spartans will play their annual two December Big Ten games. Then Toledo, Oakland, and Cornell round out non-conference play from Dec. 16 through Dec. 29.

Talk about a gauntlet.

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