History of Michigan State's 2025 Non-Conference Opponents

Each team in college football spends the first three weeks getting their feet wet for the season, usually by playing non-conference opponents.

In the Big Ten — especially with the 2025 campaign being a pivotal one — the first three weeks will be crucial for Michigan State to get off on the right foot.

However, it’s not always indicative of how the rest of the year will go.

The Spartans started the 2024 season 3-0 thanks to non-conference play (and a weaker conference opponent in Maryland). But once the Big Ten gauntlet began, they folded like a cheap tent, losing seven of their final nine games.

Let’s take a look at who Michigan State will face in non-conference action this fall — and how the matchups have historically played out.

Aug. 29 vs. Western Michigan

This has been a one-sided fight.

Michigan State has played Western Michigan 12 times since 1980, and the Spartans have come out on top in all 12 matchups.

It hasn’t even been close, either.

Out of the 12 games, the Spartans have won by at least 10 points in 10 of them. The closest differential came in 2003 — a 5-point win. Since then, the green has risen, and East Lansing has consistently overpowered Kalamazoo.

The last time these teams squared off was in September 2022, where Michigan State handled Western 35-13. That season was eerily similar to 2024 — Michigan State won the first two games, then went 3-9 the rest of the way.

Sept. 6 vs. Boston College

A revenge game.

This will be only the eighth meeting between these programs, but the Spartans are out for blood.

Boston College halted Michigan State's early-season momentum in 2024, winning a gritty 23-19 game in Chestnut Hill. That snowballed into a stretch where the Spartans lost six of eight.

Aidan Chiles had arguably his worst game of the season, throwing three interceptions with no touchdowns. He did manage a rushing score, but Michigan State’s other points all came from field goals.

Prior to that, the last time these teams met was in 2007 — another close loss for Michigan State, 24-21, in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Sept. 13 vs. Youngstown State

There isn’t much history here, but when the Spartans and Penguins meet, it’s been all Michigan State.

They’ve shared the field just three times, with the most recent coming in 2021 — a 42-14 blowout in favor of Michigan State.

Like Western Michigan, this has been a lopsided matchup. Youngstown State, an FCS program, hasn’t been consistently competitive since its heyday in the early 1990s. Since then, there have been spurts of promise, but not much staying power.

No game in the series has had a point differential closer than 20, so you can bet the Penguins will be hungry to rid themselves of the bad voodoo when they return to East Lansing.

The Importance of the First Three Weeks

These three games give Michigan State the chance to start strong, build confidence, and test their depth before diving headfirst into Big Ten play. But as 2024 proved, early wins don’t guarantee late-season success.

Still, a clean sweep could set the tone. And in a season that could shape the future of the program under Jonathan Smith, every snap — even in September — will matter.

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