Michigan State vs Nebraska Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 4, 2025

By: David Anicetti Published 09/28/2025, 09:04 PM ET

The Michigan State Spartans visit the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday at Memorial Stadium with the opening kickoff at 4:00 PM ET on FS1. Michigan State lost 45–31 at USC on September 20 and is 3–1 overall, 0–1 in the Big Ten, and near the bottom of the standings. Nebraska dropped a 30–27 game to Michigan on September 20 and is also 3–1 overall, 0–1 in the Big Ten, tied with Michigan State in the conference table. Make plenty of first downs with our college football free picks.

Michigan State Preview

Michigan State is led by quarterback Aidan Chiles, who has thrown for 868 yards with nine touchdowns and just one interception on 70-of-102 passing. His main targets are Omari Kelly with 21 catches for 317 yards and Nick Marsh with 18 catches for 222 yards and three scores. Tight ends Michael Masunas and Jack Velling have also added touchdowns in the red zone.

The Spartans have run for 616 yards on 144 carries, averaging 4.3 yards per rush. Makhi Frazier leads with 267 yards and two touchdowns, while Chiles has chipped in with 154 yards and two more scores. Linebacker Jordan Hall has 30 tackles and two sacks, giving the defense an anchor in the middle. The unit has six sacks overall but has struggled to get stops on third down in key moments.

Nebraska Preview

Nebraska is powered by quarterback Dylan Raiola, who has 1,137 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and only one interception on 102-of-135 passing. Raiola has very good accuracy and has spread the ball well. Jacory Barney Jr. leads with 21 receptions for 301 yards and three touchdowns, while Dane Key adds 226 yards and three more scores.

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The ground game has been steady with 579 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Emmett Johnson leads with 391 yards at 5.5 yards per carry and four touchdowns. The defense has been solid, with Javin Wright posting 17 tackles and Dasan McCullough providing the biggest pass rush. In front of a home crowd, Nebraska is set up well to bounce back from the loss to Michigan.

Michigan State Spartans vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Prediction

Nebraska has more balance on offense with Raiola leading the passing game and Johnson steady on the ground. Michigan State will need big plays from Chiles to Kelly and Marsh to stay close, but Nebraska’s home-field advantage and stronger run game give the Cornhuskers the upper hand. Final Score Prediction: Nebraska wins and covers ATS 34–17.