In East Lansing Friday night, the Michigan State Spartans will host the Western Michigan Broncos to open their 2025 football season. On Saturday night, the Michigan Wolverines will host the New Mexico Lobos in their opener.
Will the Spartans bounce back after a losing season?
Is the Wolverines freshman starting quarterback ready for prime time?
For a look at those questions and more, Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon joined Morning Edition host Doug Tribou.
Football this weekend:
Western Michigan at Michigan State - Fri., 7:00 p.m.
New Mexico at Michigan - Sat., 7:30 p.m.
Doug Tribou: In the Associated Press preseason football poll, the Michigan Wolverines are No. 14, but the number everyone will be watching when Michigan hosts New Mexico Saturday is 19. That's freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood's jersey number. Underwood turned 18 this month. Head coach Sherrone Moore just named him the starting quarterback.
How do you like that decision, and what do you see as the keys for Underwood in his first game or his first few games?
John U. Bacon: Well, by all accounts, Underwood is all that. He was a five-star [recruit] last year, in fact, the best player in all of high school football. So he's supposed to be quite good, but you're still a real freshman. And as Devin Gardner, the [former Michigan] quarterback, had said, nobody knows how big that stage is until you're on it and then it's too late.
So, expect him to have some growing pains, but also look out for the Michigan offensive line. They lost Andrew Babalola, one of their best o-linemen [to injury], and they weren't that good to begin with. So That's going to be a problem for Michigan in the opener. They will win the game almost assuredly. But watch what they do against Oklahoma the next week.
DT: Turning to Michigan State, in head coach Jonathan Smith's debut season in East Lansing last year, the Spartans won their first three games, but then finished the season with a losing record, didn't make a bowl game. And in the AP preseason poll, MSU is not only not in the top 25, they didn't even receive a single vote.
MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles is back this season and has promised a turnaround. Do you believe him?
JUB: I do for two reasons. One, it is Jonathan Smith's second year and he took over a bit of a disaster. Two it's also, of course, the quarterback, Aidan Chiles' second year [at MSU]. They're bound to be better. I would bet they would be around probably 7 or 8 wins this season and make a bowl game.
The snowflake facemask for @realdsnow #uniswag pic.twitter.com/KiaGtRmtzC
— UNISWAG (@UNISWAG) June 20, 2025
DT: The Spartans are starting the season in August, but we already know there will be one snowflake on the field regardless of the temperatures.
JUB: [Laughs] When we say snowflake in this context, it is not, in fact, a wimpy person.
DT: Right! [Laughs]
JUB: Those don't play football very often. So no, we're talking about, of course, Darius Snow. His uncle and his dad both were standout athletes at Michigan State.
DT: And Darius Snow's a sixth-year linebacker for the Spartans. And he will, fittingly enough, be wearing a face mask that's shaped like a snowflake. It's a replica of one that was worn by a Buffalo Bills lineman last season.
JUB: Darius Snow, by the way, has got a bachelor's degree in graphic design and a master's degree in strategic communications. So when he puts his snowflake on his mask, that's just doing business, man. That is a smart move.
DT: [Laughs] All right, John, thanks a lot.
JUB: Doug, always a pleasure.
Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can hear the full conversation near the top of this page.
The University of Michigan holds Michigan Public's broadcast license.
