Losers of six of its last seven games, Michigan State has a chance to get back in the win column on Friday night against a reeling 1-9 Purdue team on Friday night (8 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX).
The Spartans are nearly two-touchdown favorites and need two more wins for bowl eligibility. Purdue has lost nine-straight games and sits at 0-7 in Big Ten play.
Our Spartans Illustrated team breaks down the matchup and gives predictions for Michigan's State's penultimate game of the regular season.
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Game Preview: Purdue versus Michigan State
First time: MSU to wear black helmets, green jerseys, black pants vs Purdue
Jonathan Smith previews game versus Purdue, provides injury updates
Lindgren and Chiles discuss improving consistency and bowl hopes
Film Room: Michigan State vs. Illinois
Q&A with Boiler Upload: What has gone so wrong for Purdue?
MSU to host Terrance Edwards, Cairo Skanes and Zion Gist on official visits
The WE GOT IT! Podcast: Two Winnings and (NOT) a Funeral
MSU DC Joe Rossi and DL Jalen Thompson talk recent struggles on defense
Michigan State and College Football Bad Betting Advice, Week 13: Full Steam Ahead
Locked On Spartans: The State of MSU Football Recruiting
Michigan State 2025 DL commit Derrick Simmons earns fourth star on Rivals
David Harns
Michigan State 26, Purdue 15
Michigan State wants to take out its frustrations on an underwhelming Purdue team and is able to do so, to a certain extent. The game is too close through three quarters, but the Spartans put some space between them in the fourth, finally.
Ryan O'Bleness
Michigan State 31, Purdue 14
Simply put, Purdue is not a good football team in 2024. Michigan State is also struggling and is dealing with many injuries, but has an opportunity to get a win at home against a Purdue team on a nine-game losing streak.
This is not a chance the Spartans can squander, and I see them coming into the game focused and ready to take care of business. Step one of securing a bowl game appearance is getting a victory on Friday night, and that is exactly what I expect to happen. I believe the Spartans will cruise to a win in this one.
Paul Fanson
Michigan State 24, Purdue 14
There are plenty of reasons to believe that Michigan State will get a big, feel-good win over the struggling Boilermakers under the lights on Friday night. My computer is projecting a 17-point win for the Green and White, which certainly would feel good to Spartan fans. But there are also a lot of things about this matchup that are concerning. Purdue has played a brutal schedule overall, but it has been competitive with the other Big Ten teams in the Spartans' peer group (notably Illinois and Northwestern).
The Boilermakers also have a tendency of playing Michigan State closer than expected (5-1 against the spread since 2010), and the Spartans' most recent outing was lackluster, at best. I still expect that MSU will get the win be double-digits (barely), but I suspect that this game is going to look a lot more like the painful slog that we witnessed in Week One against Florida Atlantic.
Kevin Knight
Michigan State 38, Purdue 14
The Spartans inch one step closer to bowl eligibility with a solid performance against the Boilermakers. Purdue is simply overmatched in this one and the few MSU fans in attendance leave the stadium cold and happy.
Brendan Moore
Michigan State 23, Purdue 17
Both of these teams are stumbling over the finishing line of the regular season. Purdue has lost nine-straight games. Michigan State has lost six of its last seven games and has suffered numerous injuries to key players.
It will be a low-scoring game with some sloppy football all around. The Spartans will pull this out thanks to a solid game by quarterback Aidan Chiles. Purdue has one of the worst pass defenses in the country and the Spartans will exploit that weakness on a cold November night in East Lansing.
Zach Manning
Michigan State 37, Purdue 17
Purdue is not good, and Michigan State needs a win to keep itself in contention for bowl eligibility. The offense gets going early, and the defense plays well enough to secure a 20-point win.
Jay Yaney
Michigan State 28, Purdue 17
The Spartans know what's at stake. A win leaves them in bowl contention. A loss means a guaranteed sub-.500 season. Luckily, Purdue is reeling this year, and their fans are focusing on Boiler Hoops.
Jacob Cotsonika
Michigan State 30, Purdue 14
This one isn't exactly going to break television records. Purdue is probably the worst power conference team in the country, and I think Michigan State will treat the Boilermakers as such.
I don't expect total dominance, simply because MSU's red zone offense hasn't proven that's entirely possible to me, but I think the offense will move the ball plenty and the defense will do more than enough to hand Purdue a 10th loss and set up the Spartans' shot at bowl eligibility against Rutgers.