MSU's Bowl Game Chances Impacted by Loss to Michigan

Michigan State suffered another close loss on Saturday. What did the loss do to the Spartans' chances of making it to a bowl game?

Michigan defensive end Cameron Brandt (91) tackles Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After starting the season 3-0, wins have been hard to come by for Michigan State.

Since the undefeated start, the Spartans have lost four of their last five and must find a way to win two more games to become eligible for a bowl game. While they have a difficult slate of games remaining on the schedule, three of their final four games of the season are at home. 

Jerry Palm has believed in Michigan State’s bowl game chances for much of the season. The Spartans’ recent string of losses has not done much to convince him that Michigan State will not make it to a bowl game. 

Palm releases bowl projections weekly and recently released his updated bowl projections after the most recent weekend of college football games. Palmer again predicted Michigan State would play in a bowl game this season, but he still thinks they will play in a bowl game in Michigan. 

Palm’s most recent bowl game projections have the Spartans playing in the Detroit Bowl against Eastern Michigan. This is consistent with what Palm has projected throughout Michigan State's slump over the last few weeks. However, there is still work to be done, as Michigan State plays two ranked teams in consecutive weeks before facing two very beatable teams over the last two weeks of the season.

It would be disappointing for Michigan State to miss out on a bowl game, after such a productive start to the season. Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith must find a way to secure two more wins before the end of the season. While Rutgers and Purdue are beatable teams, anything can happen. Half of Michigan State's wins this season were upset wins. The Spartans would be in a much better position entering those last two weeks, if they were able to pull off one more upset, either against undefeated Indiana or Illinois the week after.

Michigan State has shown significant improvement from where they were as a football program a season ago. However, they have also shown that there is still plenty of room left to grow. Making it to a bowl game is the most effective way for Smith and his coaching staff to prove the progress that has been made was legitimate.

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