Which Game on Michigan State's Football Schedule is Most Important?

Michigan State has one of the most difficult schedules in the country. Which game is most important for Michigan State this upcoming season?

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA

Michigan State and Coach Jonathan Smith will soon begin the first season of Michigan State football’s rebuild. As Coach Smith gets the process started, he will undoubtedly have an uphill battle on his hands. The situation at Michigan State upon Coach Smith’s arrival in East Lansing was less than ideal, as many areas of Michigan State’s football program needed improvement. 

In addition to the areas that needed improvement, Coach Smith and Michigan State have one of the most challenging schedules in the Big Ten and the country. While it is debatable how well Michigan State will do on the football field during Coach Smith’s first season at the helm, Michigan State can have a successful season in more ways than one. 

Coach Smith’s first offseason has already been about as successful as possible. Michigan State turned an initial disappointment in the transfer portal into one of the team’s strengths, finishing with one of the best transfer portal classes in the country. After losing nearly 20 scholarship players to the transfer portal, Michigan State and Coach Smith ended with the 12th-ranked 2024 transfer portal class. 

Michigan State secured multiple four-star players and 18 three-star players in the transfer portal this offseason, adding valuable talent to Michigan State’s roster with college football experience. This gives Michigan State a fighting chance this season as they prepare for a challenging schedule that includes two games against teams in the top five of preseason rankings. 

With Coach Smith entering only his first season on the job, most would agree he will be given room to grow and develop the team. That means, as long as the team is competitive, wins and losses are not the end-all, be-all for Coach Smith and Michigan State this upcoming season. 

As with any team, certain games on Michigan State’s schedule will be more critical than others. Some games mean more. For Coach Smith and Michigan State, the most important game on their schedule will arguably be their game against the biggest rivals, a road game in Ann Arbor. This game will undoubtedly impact Coach Smith and Michigan State's recruiting efforts next offseason.

While the chances of Michigan State beating Michigan this season are slim, this season’s game is not about whether or not Coach Smith and Michigan State win the game. It will be about how well they play in that game. A loss on the road against the defending National Champions and Michigan State’s most prominent rival during Coach Smith’s first season on the job is acceptable. However, it will be necessary for Michigan State to at least be competitive, which has not been the case for most of the last eight seasons. 

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