Detroit Jock City
Fansided

Michigan State football: Game-by-game predictions for the 2017 season

By Colton Wesley

EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans and members of the team walk to Spartan Stadium before the start of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers on September 24, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - SEPTEMBER 24: Head coach Mark Dantonio of the Michigan State Spartans and members of the team walk to Spartan Stadium before the start of the game against the Wisconsin Badgers on September 24, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Bobby Ellis/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
13 of 13
Next
DETROIT, MI – NOVEMBER 12: Quarterback Tyler O’Connor #7 of the Michigan State Spartans gets set near the goal line in the second half during a college football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Spartan Stadium on November 12, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Knights 49-0. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – NOVEMBER 12: Quarterback Tyler O’Connor #7 of the Michigan State Spartans gets set near the goal line in the second half during a college football game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Spartan Stadium on November 12, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans defeated the Knights 49-0. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

November 25: at Rutgers

By the end of this season, Michigan State will have run a gauntlet, including matchups with several top-25 and national championship contender opponents while trying to develop their young starters into consistent players. The dividends will show up in 2018, but this season will likely be little more than frustrating.

Chris Ash and Jerry Kill make up a fantastic staff for Rutgers, which will not be the laughingstock it was in 2018. They have an actual quarterback in Kyle Bolin and several new players should help give running back Robert Martin some help. The defense is healthy and has some pieces.

Michigan State will be tired, banged up and disillusioned. Rutgers will be looking for a signature win at home to signal the beginning of a turnaround for the program. They’ll get it. Rutgers 24 – Michigan State 20 (2-10)

Michigan State will not go 3-9 because they will go 2-10. They aren’t even as good as they were(n’t) last season, face an impossible schedule and face enormous pressure to recapture some of the glory of recent seasons. The talent simply isn’t there yet. A little bad luck in losable games against Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Maryland or Rutgers would put double-digit losses very much in the realm of possibility.

Next: Michigan football 2017 game-by-game predictions

Given time, these young Spartans will reach bowl games once again, probably in 2018, but Michigan State football on the field will get worse before it gets better.

Home/Michigan State Spartans