Coming off second bye week, Michigan State feels sense of urgency in preparation for Illinois

Needing two wins in its final three games of the regular season to achieve bowl eligibility, Michigan State is hoping the same bye week blueprint that worked against Iowa will have similar results at Illinois this weekend. “They understand that we’ve got a lot to play for this month, and they are excited about that,” Smith said. “I have been really pleased with the preparation and work in practice from August on. We know we have to continue to improve; do some things better in games, and we are working to do that."