Getty Mel Tucker has high expectations for MSU this season.
Michigan State looks to build on an 11-win season by kicking off 2022 with a big showing against in-state foe Western Michigan on Friday, September 2.
The game (7 p.m. ET start time) will be televised on ESPN, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both come with a free trial.
Those are the two best live stream options if you’re cutting cable, but there are also some other alternatives, so here’s a full guide on the different ways to watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State streaming live online:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN is included in every one, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your DirecTV Stream credentials to do that.
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Fubo credentials to do that.
Sling TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 40-plus other live TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” bundle. This option doesn’t include a free trial, but it’s the cheapest long-term streaming service with the ESPN channels, and you can your first month for half off:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State live on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Sling credentials to do that.
Hulu With Live TV
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which now also includes access to both ESPN+ and Disney+ at no added cost:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State live on the Hulu app or Hulu website.
Compatible devices for the Hulu app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Nintendo Switch, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Hulu credentials to do that.
Vidgo
You can watch a live stream of ESPN and 65+ other TV channels on Vidgo, which does not come with a free trial:
Once signed up for Vidgo, you can watch Western Michigan vs Michigan State live on the Vidgo app or Vidgo website.
Compatible devices for the Vidgo app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet.
You can also watch the game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider to watch this way, but you can use your Vidgo credentials to do that.
WMU vs MSU Football 2022 Preview
Fifteenth-ranked Michigan State comes off of a big 2021 season with 11 wins, and the Spartans look to do more in 2022.
The Spartans kick off the new season with an in-state opponent in Western Michigan, which will seek to pull an upset. The Broncos have been down since the P.J. Fleck years, and the team looks to keep building in 2022.
MSU can’t ignore WMU since that type of mistake happened once already in recent years for the Spartans. Central Michigan stunned the Spartans in 2009.
Spartans head coach Mel Tucker didn’t want to help the Broncos gain any advantage ahead of time either. He wouldn’t disclose who would start at running back for instance during a press conference this week according to the Detroit Free Press’ Shawn Windsor.
“We don’t want to help our opponents,” Tucker said via Windsor. “I try to answer the questions as best I can, but I’m always going to do what’s best for the green and white.”
With that said, Tucker is well aware of the enormous expectations in East Lansing where the Spartans didn’t lose all of last season.
“The expectations from the outside … have really ramped up, so to speak,” Tucker said per Windsor. “We’re ranked going into the season, and there’s an expectation for us to be a good football team … to be able to win games.”
For WMU head coach Tim Lester, he can motivate his team for Friday by a different kind of external motive — his players’ recruiting history. Many Broncos players would have liked to play in East Lansing or Ann Arbor.
“I definitely think they know who recruited them and who didn’t,” Lester said in his press conference via WMU Athletics. “I think they take more pride in Western Michigan and what we can do than trying to settle a grudge from when they were 18 or 17. I think they’re just proud of this team, and it’s a great opportunity to play in some great stadiums and atmospheres and to show what we can do.”
“Kind of like the Pitt game last year,” Lester added. “We came out and played well and just played solid football. That’s what it comes down to. I think once the guys learn that you gotta come out and take care of the ball and run the ball and not change who we are. Just go be us, and win or lose it helps you learn a ton about yourself for when you get to the next game.”
WMU upset Pitt 44-41 in that game last year.