BREAKING: Michael Penix Jr. will start at QB for Indiana

Redshirt freshman quarterback has missed two-plus games with a shoulder injury but will return against Michigan State.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Indiana redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is fully dressed and going through pregame warmups at Spartan Stadium and is prepared to start Saturday's game against Michigan State. 

For the past hour, he has been throwing to receivers and taking snaps from starting center Hunter Littlejohn. No formal announcement is expected prior to Indiana's first snap sometime after 3:30 p.m. but it seems as though he is ready to play. It was announced on the pregame radio show at 3:26 p.m., just 15 minutes before kickoff. 

Penix, the redshirt freshman from Tampa, Fla.,  won the quarterback battle over Peyton Ramsey in fall camp, but appeared to injure his shoulder in the second game of the season against Eastern Illinois. Just before halftime, he was seen coming off the field awkwardly holding his left arm.

Indiana has been very quiet about his status ever since, but Indiana coach Tom Allen said on the pregame show just prior to kickoff that Penix would start.

 Ramsey started and played poorly in the 51-10 loss to Ohio State, but then played very well against Connecticut in a 38-3 victory, completing 24 of 27 passes for 247 yards.

Penix has a huge arm and is much more of a deep threat than Ramsey, something that would be critical against a Michigan State defense that is hard to run on but has given up yards through the air. 

Ramsey played against Michigan State a year ago and threw for 274 yards, but he also had two interceptions. 

Michigan State is 3-1 on the season, with a Big Ten win over Northwestern a week ago an its lone loss was to Arizona State.