Michigan State's Wayne Matthews III celebrates after a stop against Michigan during the second quarter on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Maryland Matchup Is Crucial for Spartan Veterans

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 5:32 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are set to take on the Maryland Terrapins at Ford Field this Saturday evening.

Neither team will make a bowl game this season, so the game lacks much excitement. Both teams are trying to wrap up the season and get to the offseason, where they can focus on improving their rosters.

The Spartans may or may not do that with Jonathan Smith at the helm, but that is a decision Athletic Director J Batt will make once the game is over. MSU is trying to get a win to avoid going winless in the Big Ten.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the Spartans are going to make that happen, they will need contributions from some of their experienced seniors. This game is their last chance to make an impact on Spartan Nation.

The Spartan seniors

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Maryland is not a very good team, so MSU has a real chance at winning in front of a Detroit crowd. Spartan fans have not seen this team win in two months, so finishing the year with a victory would be a good note for the end of the season.

The Spartans have seven players who are in their sixth seasons and have wrapped up their college eligibility, so those players want to finish off their careers the right way.

Those seven players are Alante Brown, Joshua Eaton, Darius Snow, Devynn Cromwell, Sam Edwards, Cam Williams, and Quindarius Dunnigan.

Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MSU also has several regular seniors who will move on from the team after this game. That includes players like Ade Willie, Armorion Smith, Malcolm Bell, Wayne Matthews III, Matt Gulbin, and Malik Spencer.

Each of these players has contributed to the team in some way over the last few seasons, or just this year in some cases, as several are transfers who have spent only this season in East Lansing.

The end of a player’s collegiate career is always a bittersweet time, as all the work they’ve put in comes to an end and the relationships they’ve made will never be the same.

At the same time, it’s a great way for those players to leave their legacy. While the game does not mean much for the team’s outlook, those Spartans will want to play hard and be able to say they left it all out there on the field.

While this crop of Spartans did not see much success during their time in East Lansing, the bonds they’ve formed and the memories they’ve made will last forever.