Michigan State Starting QB Out Against No. 9 UCLA

Per Pete Thamel, Michigan State starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (undisclosed) is not expected to play at No. 9 UCLA today.

With backup Cam Fancher also out, true freshman Kayd Coffman is in line for his first career start. He’ll face UCLA backup Ty Dieffenbach, who is also set to make his second career start.

Milivojevic has been resilient all season long, taking hit after hit, game after game. He’s stood tall and strong despite the brutal beatdown he seems to take on a weekly basis. With Michigan State not getting a bye week through the first eight weeks of the season, Milivojevic has finally reached a point where he can’t play in one of the Spartans’ biggest games of the season.

Michigan State travels to Pasadena, California, to play the No. 9 UCLA Bruins at the Rose Bowl. UCLA comes in undefeated through six games, including a perfect 4-0 record in conference play, making the Bruins the only remaining undefeated team in the Big Ten.

The Spartans have battled hard in their last two games after suffering three losses by a combined 59 points. Michigan State’s last two games have been decided by just four total points, showcasing the team’s ability to battle through adversity and keep coming out near the top.

Now, Michigan State freshman quarterback Kayd Coffman, a native of Kentwood, Michigan, will be in line for his first career collegiate start. On the other side, the UCLA Bruins will turn to Dieffenbach for his second career start.

Both teams already lean heavily on their rushing attacks, and that approach will likely be emphasized even more today with the two starting quarterbacks having just one career start between them before this game.

Milivojevic was placed on the availability report Wednesday and remained questionable throughout the week. He traveled with the team and was trying to get ready to start in Los Angeles, but ultimately, he just couldn’t make it happen.

This will be Milivojevic’s first missed start since taking over as the Spartans’ starting quarterback for the final four games of last season.

It was going to be an uphill battle from the beginning, even with the Spartans having their starting quarterback. Now, it’s going to take something close to a miracle to pull off the win.

The Bruins have all the expectations on their side, while the Spartans are left playing for pride. That can be a dangerous combination for a team expected to win, especially when its opponent has little to lose.

I had predicted a Spartans win outright earlier in the week, assuming Milivojevic was going to play. Now, with Coffman getting the start, it’s going to be that much harder.

Though Coffman is a capable quarterback and will do everything he can to keep the Spartans in the game, watch out for a potential miracle upset led by the true freshman.