EAST LANSING ~ Michigan State football travels to Pasadena in week eight to face the top of the Big Ten, UCLA. The Spartans are towing a five-game slide, looking to pick up momentum on the road, but an already injury-ridden roster is under more stress after the starting quarterback and starting running back were both listed as questionable.
Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, one of the few MSU starters to have avoided injury this season, appeared on Wednesday’s report with an undisclosed injury. If he is unable to play, the Spartans could be forced to turn to a third-string quarterback–backup Cam Fancher has been out since week six. The three remaining rostered quarterbacks are all freshmen.
Running back Jaziun Patterson, who stepped into the starter slot after Cam Edwards suffered a season-ending injury, was also marked questionable. Patterson has held together the MSU offense since taking over RB1, having scored six of the last seven Spartan touchdowns. If he is out Saturday, the Spartans still have Brandon Tullis, Patterson’s backup. The veteran has appeared in 23 games for Michigan State since 2024 and has not fumbled on any of his 86 career rushing attempts. While Tullis has provided dependable depth and ball security, he has yet to handle full-time starter responsibilities.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
On the way to LA ✈️ @flylansing https://t.co/nRW9sYb9Jo
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) October 22, 2026
(CONTINUED) Despite a season marked by injuries, Michigan State’s defense has shown signs of growth in recent weeks. Defensive linemen Eli Coenen, Ben Roberts, and Anelu Lafaele helped power a five-sack performance against Northwestern, highlighting the development of a unit that has become one of the team’s most disruptive groups. The Spartans’ defensive front will face its toughest challenge yet against a UCLA offense that remains unbeaten.
Saturday’s game marks Michigan State’s first appearance at the Rose Bowl Stadium since its victory in the 2014 Rose Bowl. The last time head coach Pat Fitzgerald was in the stadium was as a star linebacker in 1996, but was out for injury. Thirty years later, Fitzgerald returns with another injury-tested team. MSU will face UCLA in Pasadena on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 3:30p.m.
