Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith look on against Western Michigan during the second quarter on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why BC Game Can Be a Signature Win for MSU

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Carter Landis | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are preparing for an important matchup with the Boston College Eagles this Saturday night.

This game is of the utmost importance for Jonathan Smith and his staff. This is not just another early-season non-conference showdown for Smith and the Spartans; it’s a game that could define his tenure in East Lansing.

Is that extreme? No, it isn’t, and here’s why.

The importance of beating Boston College

MSU did not have a truly signature win last season. The Maryland win early in the season was nice, and the Iowa game in mid-October was impressive, but neither felt like games that truly established that Smith had arrived as the Spartans’ coach.

Not only were there no signature wins, but Smith’s Spartans had a few frustrating and deflating losses. Last year’s game against BC was one of them, and the road loss to Michigan when the team had every chance to win was another.

MSU looked fine against Western Michigan on Friday, but fans would have liked to see the offense not take its foot off the gas in the second half.

If the team had played a more complete game on that side of the ball and blown out the Broncos, fans would have felt better heading into this showdown with Bill O’Brien’s squad.

Now, as the Spartans welcome BC to East Lansing, the game carries more weight than Smith realizes. This is a quintessential ‘revenge game,’ but it will also determine where the program is going.

Smith’s Spartans are not on Penn State or Ohio State’s level right now; they won’t compete with the top teams in the Big Ten.

However, Boston College is a formidable non-conference opponent, one that is on MSU’s level. This is a game the Spartans nearly won last season, and while the Eagles are far different this year, MSU can -- and should -- win.

This game is reminiscent of the 2021 season when the Spartans traveled to Miami and took on the Hurricanes.

Few expected MSU to walk into Hard Rock Stadium and dominate a talented non-conference squad, but that game was a program-defining win for Mel Tucker (at the time).

The Spartans face a must-win game against BC. Win, and you’re in for a special season, and the program is headed in the right direction.

Lose, and you’re in for perpetually fighting for bowl eligibility.

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