Thursday’s Michigan State vs North Carolina will draw plenty of attention as it’s one of the biggest games of the week and it’ll be taking place right smack-dab in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner time.
If your family is anything like mine, the TV will be on in the background and the attention will be on the Michigan State game rather than the turkey. The Spartans will take on the No. 16 team in the country as the Tar Heels, too, are 6-0 on the season and still trying to earn some respect.
Michigan State, on the other hand, is No. 11 nationally and has been one of the biggest risers in the AP Top 25 this season, beating two top-15 teams along the way. Tom Izzo continues to prove that he still has his fastball, landing the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026 in the same month that the Spartans beat Kentucky and Arkansas to rise over 10 spots in the rankings.
Both of these teams are good and will likely be dancing come March, but only one can win on Thursday, and Izzo is putting in the work to make sure it’s his guys.
The Spartans are fresh off a win over East Carolina and North Carolina beat St. Bonaventure, but both teams are trending in the right direction, which is why Vegas sees this as essentially a toss-up.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of Thursday, Nov. 27.
Line: Michigan State -1.5
Over/Under: 152.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -115 | North Carolina -105
The Spartans are a slight favorite over the Tar Heels, holding a 1.5-point advantage in what is essentially a pick ‘em. If you’re going with moneyline, it’s basically even.
What do I see happening? I think this is going to be one of those back-and-forth games that Michigan State may have to build a comeback in. The Spartans will hold a one-point lead at the half and the second half will see both teams trading baskets. Michigan State will get a huge 3-pointer from Jaxon Kohler in the final minutes to put it up for good.
Prediction: Michigan State 77, North Carolina 73