Where Michigan State Stands in the Rankings After Loss to Rivals

The Michigan State Spartans have had their highs and their lows this season. After another close loss, the Spartans are still not that far away from what I set out to do.

Michigan running back Tavierre Dunlap (22) picks up the ball after Michigan State's onsite kick during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State has had mixed results over the first half of the season.

However, Michigan State has arguably had more good than bad happen to it this season. Its three-game losing streak and three-game winning streak were signs that the Spartans have potential but plenty of room to grow.

Even after losing to Michigan, the Spartans were ranked as the 13th-best Big Ten team out of the 18 teams in the conference. They are ahead of Maryland, whom they already beat and are ranked 65th-best in the country. Rutgers was ranked 67th, and Northwestern was ranked the 91st-best in college football. UCLA was ranked the 107th-best, and Purdue was ranked the 115th-best.

While their loss to Michigan did not hurt their bowl game chances by much, the Spartans were ranked as the 62nd-best team after Paul Myerberg of USA Today updated his 1-134 rankings. This is four spots lower than where he ranked them a week ago. Michigan State is 4-4 on the season and 2-3 in the Big Ten, hoping to secure a few more wins before it is too late.

The Spartans have a challenging next two games, then their last two games should be significantly easier.

While Michigan State may have dropped in the rankings, they are still on schedule in rebuilding the football program. A new coach, with many new pieces, who walked into a mess of a situation left behind by the previous head coach, will struggle during their first season. Still, Smith has already guided Michigan State to the same number of wins as last season, and they still have four games remaining to register more wins.

The Spartans have the chance to set a solid foundation for the future of Michigan State's football program. Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith was tasked with turning the football program around. In addition to the transfer portal and recruiting trails, the fastest way to do that would be to make it to a bowl game this season. Doing so would legitimize the work Smith and the team did this season. It would solidify that Smith was the man for the job and that the Spartans are on the right trail.

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