Michigan State Football Dealt Potential Injury Blow Ahead of Clash WIth No.9 UCLA

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EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 04: Alessio Milivojevic #11 of the Michigan State Spartans looks for a open receiver while playing the Toledo Rockets at Spartan Stadium on September 04, 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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Michigan State football is dealing with a rough stretch and, unfortunately, for Spartan fans, it might get a lot worse.

Already in the middle of a five-game losing streak and winless in Big 10 games, they now have to travel across the country to take on a top-10 ranked conference opponent in UCLA, and they might have to do it without their starting quarterback.

Alessio Milivojevic is listed as questionable on the injury report and with backup quarterback Cam Fancher confirmed as out for the second straight week, it leaves the Spartans potentially having no choice but to turn to freshman, Kayd Coffman against the No.9 Bruins.

MSU has been crushed with injuries all season and will have no choice but to continue its “next man up” motto against UCLA.

The Spartans have 17 players on the injury report, with 11 of them already confirmed to not suit up this weekend.

Star linebacker Jordan Hall has dealt with injuries all season and is one of the players out against UCLA, but MSU’s secondary has been hit the hardest.

Michigan State will be without their four best corners, including starters, Tre Bell and Charles Brantley, along with important depth players Tyran Chappell and Keshawn Williams.

But there is hope for MSU. UCLA starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava is out for the season due to a knee injury against Oregon. The Bruins face a depleted Spartan secondary with a backup quarterback and potentially this could end up being a battle of backup quarterbacks.

With starting running back Cam Edwards out for the season with a knee injury, the backfield is thin for the Spartan offense, and it might get thinner with Milivojevic as well as running backs, Jaziun Patterson and Darrin Jones Jr. all questionable to play against UCLA.

In the worst case scenario for MSU, if they weren’t able to play, that leaves State starting their qb3 and rb4 against the No.9 team in the country.

Luckily for the Spartans, Milivojevic and Patterson are expected to play. However, having key players come up on the injury report ahead of a huge match-up is never a good sign. They may be expected to play, but it begs the question of how healthy they are going into a game against a physical opponent.

The first season with MSU has not been easy for head coach Pat Fitzgerald, but he remains confident in his team and expects them to fight against UCLA.