Recent Preseason Rankings Further Explain Why MSU Football Has a Chip on its Shoulder

Michigan State Football has received a wide array of predictions for the upcoming season. One college football expert believes they are far from being a ranked team.

Michigan State's quarterback Aidan Chiles, center, slaps hands with teammates during camp on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, at the indoor practice facility in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State’s football program is just weeks from its first game under a new coaching regime.

Coach Jonathan Smith had an eventful offseason, putting most of his time and effort into setting a quality foundation for Michigan State’s recruiting. Smith made the most out of a challenging situation, replacing valuable talent lost to the transfer portal and beginning the process of securing respectable future recruiting classes for Michigan State.

Starting over with a new coach and multiple new players added to the roster usually leads to optimism for most college football teams. However, because of the uphill battles that Smith and Michigan State have faced and will face, many college football experts are not as hopeful as those in and around Michigan State’s football program.

In a season with many new aspects to its football program, Michigan State has undoubtedly one of the most challenging schedules in the Big Ten and the country. This has likely been one of the primary reasons for the lack of optimism from college football experts on the national level. 

Most would agree that Michigan State is not currently a top-25 team in the country. They have the potential to one day get there, but as it stands, they have a long way to go. It makes sense for Michigan State not to be a ranked team, as there are many unknowns about Smith’s team.

Still, college football expert Brett McMurphy of the Action Network does not even have Michigan State in his top 40 schools on the rankings he recently released. 

Considering he has Oregon as the best team in the country, maybe McMurphy and others who have projected Michigan State similarly are simply underestimating a Michigan State team that will have a vastly different look and feel than what its football team looked like most recently. Smith and multiple Michigan State players have discussed playing with a chip on their shoulders this season. The team not being ranked in McMurphy's top 40 and the overall lack of respect they have received this offseason should be more than enough motivation for them heading into the season. 

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