Quinnipiac at No. 6 Michigan State: How to Watch and Prediction

Who: Quinnipiac Bobcats (0-0) vs. No. 6 Michigan State Spartans (0-0)

Where: Breslin Center, East Lansing, Michigan

When: Monday, November 2, at 7 p.m. ET

Watch: B1G+

The wait is finally over. After months of preparation, the Michigan State Spartans are ready to prove themselves on the court as the 2026-27 regular season tips off Monday, November 2.

Michigan State will host Quinnipiac at the Breslin Center in its first game of the season. Expectations are high, with the Spartans looking to compete for a Big Ten championship, a Final Four appearance and, ultimately, a national championship. This year's Final Four will be especially meaningful for Michigan State, as it will be hosted at Ford Field in Detroit, just 60 miles from East Lansing.

The Spartans return a veteran core led by Jeremy Fears Jr., the betting favorite for Big Ten Player of the Year and the Wooden Award. Fears broke Michigan State's single-season assist record last year while also leading the team in scoring. He has an opportunity to put himself in position for a high NBA draft selection this season, but he'll also carry the expectations that come with being one of the nation's most highly touted players.

Fortunately, Fears won't have to do it alone. He is joined by returning teammates Coen Carr, Jordan Scott, Cam Ward, Kur Teng and Kaleb Glenn. Michigan State also welcomes transfer Anton Bonke and four freshmen: Jasiah Jervis, Carlos Medlock Jr., Ethan Taylor and Julius Avent.

It's a promising combination of experienced veterans and talented newcomers, all coming together under one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history.

Tom Izzo has been coaching the Spartans since the 1995-96 season, but his teams in recent years haven't quite resembled the championship-caliber groups Michigan State fans became accustomed to over the decades. Izzo hasn't reached the Final Four since 2019, and his lone national championship remains the one he captured in 2000.

However, the tides could be turning this season. The Spartans have brought in one of their highest-rated recruiting classes in quite some time, along with one of the nation's most highly regarded point guards. There's reason to believe this group could be special.

Michigan State does enter the regular season with some questions, though. The Spartans dropped their final two exhibition games against UConn and Marquette, leaving them with some things to figure out before the games start counting.

Luckily, they'll have some time to work through those issues before facing a challenging nonconference schedule featuring powerhouse programs Duke, Tennessee, Arkansas and Gonzaga.

It all starts Monday against Quinnipiac. I believe the Spartans can open the season with a convincing victory as they begin putting the pieces together. With Izzo's traditional emphasis on rebounding, physicality and smart shot selection, Michigan State should have the advantage in this matchup.

Michigan State 79, Quinnipiac 60