MUSKEGON – Peyton Babbitt didn’t expect his recruiting journey to change much this late in the process.
Then, almost overnight, everything shifted.
The Orchard View senior quarterback officially signed Thursday as a preferred walk-on with Michigan State University, joining the Spartans’ football program in the 2026 recruiting class.
And for those of us who bleed green and white, it was a pretty cool sight — another local athlete earning an opportunity at Michigan State, this time out of the West Michigan Conference.
Until last week, Babbitt had been committed to Saginaw Valley State. Following a coaching change after the 2025 season, his recruitment reopened — and Michigan State reached out late last week. A few conversations later, the opportunity was real.
See the below post announcing Babbitt’s signing:
At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Babbitt brings a true dual-threat skill set to East Lansing. His senior season was cut short after he broke bones in his non-throwing hand during Orchard View’s season opener, limiting him to just four games in 2025. Even in that small sample size, his impact was undeniable.
Babbitt completed 28 of 53 passes for 434 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception, while also rushing for 523 yards and eight scores on 44 carries — numbers that hint at what could have been over a full season.
One of those performances earned him MLive Muskegon-area Player of the Week honors following a comeback win over Shelby on Oct. 24. In that game, Babbitt accounted for more than 300 yards of offense and four total touchdowns, putting his versatility on full display.
A year earlier, his junior campaign showed exactly what a healthy, full season could look like. In 2024, Babbitt threw for 1,084 yards and 15 touchdowns, added 503 rushing yards and four more scores on the ground, and earned first-team All-West Michigan Conference honors as one of the league’s most dynamic offensive threats.
Babbitt becomes the Cardinals’ first football player to head to Michigan State since Josh Keur in the early 1990s and the school’s first Division I athlete since Jayden Day signed with Cornell — a milestone moment for both Babbitt and the program.
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