MSU Receives Pass for Difficult Schedule in Bowl Game Predictions

Michigan State has dropped two games in a row and will face Oregon next on the road. How has it impacted their bowl game chances?

Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Michigan State is 3-2 on the season. After losing to Ohio State by a large margin, the Spartans will now face Oregon, one of the best teams in the country.

While their chances of winning the game are slim, Michigan State’s chances of reaching a bowl game are relatively high. Michigan State making it to a bowl game in Coach Jonathan Smith’s first season would be a massive success. 

Jerry Palm of CBS Sports recently released his updated list of bowl projections. Even though Michigan State has lost two games in a row, Palm still listed it as a team that will make it to a bowl game this season. Over the last few weeks, Palm has projected Michigan State to play in the Pinstripe Bowl, and Palm predicted Michigan State would face Pitt. 

The Spartans are three wins away from being bowl-eligible. However, they are also on the front end of a stretch of games that could derail any team’s season. Luckily for Michigan State, they have multiple winnable games on the back end of their schedule, which should help them reach the necessary wins to receive an invite to a bowl game.

Smith and his coaching staff must find a way to get the team through the next few weeks, which will be a tall task. While Michigan State hung around as long as they could against Ohio State, the Buckeyes would eventually pull away. The Spartans' matchup against Ohio State showed how far they have come as a football program and how far they have to go, as Smith has just started in East Lansing.

The next step for Smith and Michigan State is not just to hang around when playing more prominent football programs but to finish the job and win the game. While Smith undoubtedly deserves grace, as Michigan State was in a difficult situation when he arrived.

The Spartans have the chance to make this season memorable if they can put the pieces together and persevere through the injuries and demanding schedule they have been facing. Time will tell if Smith and the Spartans can do so.

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