Michigan State faces must-win game vs. Purdue to keep bowl hopes alive

Two reeling football teams will collide when Purdue takes on Michigan State in a Big Ten contest on Friday in East Lansing, Mich.

The teams' experiences this year have been similar, yet still different.

Purdue (1-9, 0-7) comes in on a nine-game losing streak since a season-opening shutout over Indiana State.

Just two years removed from an appearance in the Big Ten championship game, the Boilermakers have regressed badly in the second year under head coach Ryan Walters.

For Walters, the plan is simple for the final two games of the season.

"Go out and compete," he said. "You know, but a good game plan together, offense, defense, special teams. Play clean, competitive football and go win some games."

The Boilermakers enter the game last in the Big Ten in both points scored (17.2 per game) and points allowed (38.9). Their leading rusher, Devin Mockobee, has run for 652 yards and three touchdowns.

Purdue will hope to snap its long losing streak against a Michigan State team that also comes in on a losing streak.

The Spartans (4-6, 2-5) have lost three straight games since a win over Iowa on Oct. 19, the latest being a 38-16 defeat at Illinois last week. Michigan State also lost at Michigan and at home to undefeated Indiana in that span.

The silver lining for Michigan State is that bowl eligibility is still a possibility after not qualifying for a bowl game since 2021.

The Spartans can gain bowl eligibility with home wins over Purdue and Rutgers to close the season, which could be a building block in Jonathan Smith's first year at the helm.

"I'm not going to be up here asking for patience," Smith said. "We're not patient people. We do have perspective of we want to get some things established. Immediately, results haven't come, but I'm confident in the process we're taking. And we're continuing to develop the current roster and then, just everywhere, you're going to have new guys on the roster, and confident the results will come."

The Spartans' running trio of Kay'ron Lynch-Adams, Nate Carter and quarterback Aidan Chiles has combined for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns.

--Field Level Media