Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith, right, shakes hands with Iowa's head coach Kirk Ferentz after the Spartans win on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Predictions for Michigan State Football's Game at Iowa

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jacob Cotsonika | Last updated Nov 21, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Michigan State (3-7 overall, 0-7 Big Ten) is on the road for the final time this season for a game against Iowa (6-4, 4-3). The Spartans are trying to keep their long losing streak from reaching eight; no such streak has happened since MSU's first Big Ten football season in 1953.

On this episode of the Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast, let's break down this clash between the Spartans and the Hawkeyes and predict the final score. The entire episode can be viewed below.

Watch the MSU Spartans Insider Podcast here:

Additionally, a partial transcript of head coach Jonathan Smith's Monday press conference has been provided below.

Jonathan Smith

SMITH: OK guys, recapping, after watching the tape, Penn State gained... I think about defensively, what stood out, there's a lot of good football there. Some critical stops, third and fourth down. Kept us in the game for a long time, I think we talked about that after.

But some legitimate effort, trying to be physical with it. Tackling, for the most part. We did have the bust in coverage for the long touchdown. But the defensive effort for most of the night kept us around that one.

Offensively, I thought Alessio [Milivojevic] played tough, standing in there. We got to continue to find ways to keep him upright.

And that's an 11-man [effort], I've said it before, but some of the timing on things could have been better to keep him upright. But we've got to protect him better, too, in that.

I did think we had some good runs in there. Honestly, the first one in the game. But there's some quality runs there, just not enough offensively to finish drives.

And especially a couple missed opportunities in the field position that we didn't take advantage of. It could have made a difference in the game, didn't do it.

And then special teams-wise, still some things to clean up, lots of effort though. Jammers and gunners, so both sides of the punting aspect, there was some quality play.

Aveon Grose is one, running down with a huge tackle. Keshawn Williams, a [redshirt] freshman, doing some things on punt.

[Ryan] Eckley some good hang time and direction there. So we're going to need to head into this week with the way that we're playing on special teams.

So, Iowa, a ton of respect, deep respect, really, for Coach [Kirk] Ferentz. The winningest coach in Big Ten history, been doing it at a high level for a long time. And that first-class manner of the way he operates. And this team is similar to what they're known for. They play really good defense, make it hard in a lot of ways.