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Michigan State names team captains for Week 1 vs. Northwestern

Nick Schultz

By Nick Schultz

Published:

Ahead of a big Week 1 matchup with Northwestern, Michigan State coach Mel Tucker has named captains for the season opener.

All three of the newly named captains — Jalen Nailor, Drew Beesley and Xavier Henderson — attended B1G Media Days in Indianapolis last month.

Nailor was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection last season as he led the B1G in yards per reception and led Michigan State with 515 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Beesley recorded 27 tackles and set a new career-high with 3 sacks in 2020, while Henderson racked up 41 tackles.

The Spartans’ matchup with Northwestern is seen as a possible revenge game for the Wildcats, who suffered their only loss of the year to Michigan State in 2020. The game is getting the national spotlight, kicking off at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Nick Schultz

Nick Schultz is a columnist and breaking news writer for Saturday Tradition. A 2020 graduate of Loyola Chicago, he covered the Ramblers' 2018 Final Four run from beginning to end and has worked at NBC Sports Chicago. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickSchultz_7.