Michigan State's Aidan Chiles runs for a gain against Iowa in the second quarter on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What MSU Football Fans Want to See in 2025

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 10:46 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans know how important it is to the fanbase to return to a bowl game and be a serious contender in college football.

The team has not been that good in the last few seasons, as MSU has missed a bowl game in the previous three years.

Jonathan Smith took over this Spartan team at a low point in the program’s history, and things were rough in his first year. However, he navigated the offseason the best he could, and that should lead to more wins in 2025.

Fans want to see this team win more than anything. But what do fans want to see that will help lead MSU to victories?

Let’s break down the top elements of this football team that would encourage this fanbase.

Aidan Chiles cutting down on turnovers - The Spartans’ star quarterback had some intriguing moments last season, but there were far too many head-scratching turnovers.

There were moments when Chiles would seemingly throw directly into a defender’s chest or fumble with no warning. That cannot happen if the Spartans want to be one of the better offenses in the Big Ten.

Fans hope Chiles will throw more touchdowns to his teammates than the opposing teams. He and the team will be much better if he makes more explosive plays.

The defense being dominant again - The Spartans do not have to be a College Football Playoff team to have an elite defense.

In 2018, the Spartans were ninth in the country in scoring defense and 11th in total defense, despite winning just six games and sneaking into bowl eligibility. Can they replicate that performance in 2025?

There are not many household names on MSU’s defense, but defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has not needed those to engineer elite defenses. He has the chance to turn this unit around and make them one of the best in the conference.

Nick Marsh rising to stardom - Marsh is on the cusp of being one of the top receivers in the country, and that should happen this year.

MSU did not know what they had in Marsh early in his freshman season, but they now know he is capable of taking on a large number of targets and being the center point of this offense.

Marsh is a unique talent, and he should be the top option for MSU’s passing offense. Expect him to have a big year and become a national name this season.

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