“He was number one.”

SpongeBob SquarePants said it best a few decades ago. Turns out that episode may have been foreshadowing the 2025 Michigan State Spartans hockey team, who now sit atop the NCAA rankings after a two-game sweep of the previous No. 1, Boston University.

Now the Spartans take their 3–1 record up north to Marquette, Michigan. And while these are college kids, we know they’re not heading up there to visit Blackrocks Brewery — though, if you’re over 21 and haven’t made the trip, I highly recommend it (maybe pair it with a stop at Pictured Rocks and make a weekend of it).

But the Spartans’ trip to the U.P. isn’t for pleasure — it’s for pain. Northern Michigan University will host the Spartans with an 0–6 record. Don’t let that record fool you, though. The Wildcats have played nothing but ranked opponents to start the year. They opened with an 0–2 series against No. 15 UMass, followed by another 0–2 set against No. 16 Ohio State, and most recently dropped both games to No. 19 Colorado College — one of which went to overtime.

Michigan State is riding a three-game winning streak and a wave of confidence. But this isn’t new territory for the Spartans. They spent much of last season ranked No. 1 before being upset in the postseason. Expect them to stay calm, cool, and collected against a Northern Michigan team desperate for its first win.

Bow season may be underway, but rifle season is still a few weeks out — so you can bet much of the Upper Peninsula will be in attendance for this in-state matchup, even though the schools are 400+ miles apart.

The Spartans are led by a deep and balanced group of scorers. Matt Basgall, Charlie Stramel, and Tommi Mannisto each have two goals through four games, while seven other players have found the back of the net as well. Porter Martone — one of those seven — leads the team with four assists and five points on the season.

For Northern Michigan, Medrick Bolduc and Caiden Gault each have two goals, while Jacob Altrichter leads the team with four assists and four points.

The Wildcats will likely bring a scrappy, physical style to try to throw the top-ranked Spartans off their rhythm. But if Michigan State’s offense keeps clicking, they’ll be tough to stop — especially with Trey Augustine steady in net, entering the weekend with a 2.22 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage.

You can catch the Spartans and Wildcats Friday at 7 p.m. EST on WILX 10, with Saturday’s rematch set for 6 p.m. EST.

Get your popcorn ready — these two teams may be in different places in the standings, but they’re both playing for pride, momentum, and a statement early in the season.