Tom Izzo has his team rolling in the early portion of the 2025-26 season, much to the delight of Spartan fans everywhere who have had to endure a horrific football campaign. Thursday’s Michigan State vs North Carolina battle will really tell us just how good the Spartans can be.
We’ve already seen Michigan State beat a couple of Top 25 teams in Arkansas and Kentucky this season, but the Spartans still have to prove that to some doubters that this start is no fluke.
Michigan State has taken care of business, and the team we saw in the opener against Colgate is not the same team that we saw beat Kentucky, Detroit Mercy, and East Carolina. This team is much more together than it was through the first game or two, and it’s showing on the floor.
We’re back to getting Izzo meltdowns while up by 20. It’s like the good ‘ol days all over again.
The Spartans began the season at No. 22 in the polls, but they’ve climbed to No. 11 with this six-game winning streak to start the year. On Thursday, they’ll face the No. 16 team in the country with a chance to add a third ranked victory to their resume.
North Carolina is also undefeated, and the Tar Heels’ best win was against Kansas. The Jayhawks have since fallen out of the rankings, but the win was dominant and showed that this UNC team could be a problem this year.
It’s safe to say that this Thanksgiving Day battle will have everyone’s attention.
The opening line has officially been set, and it’s about as even as you’d expect.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Line: Michigan State -2.5
Over/Under: 149.5
Moneyline: Not yet available
This line is kind of what you’d expect from a No. 11 vs. No. 16 battle. These two teams are evenly-matched, and while the Spartans have a better resume, the Tar Heels match up nicely with Michigan State. This is going to be one of the best games of Feast Week, no matter what the national media tries to tell you about the Players Era Tournament.