Michigan State Football: How many games can Spartans win in 2017?

By Stephen Robb | May 23, 2017

Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio leads his team onto the field prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Michigan State football had a rough season in 2016, but can they bounce back and be in a bowl game or even contend?

Last year, Michigan State was bit by the injury bug and plagued by inconsistencies on both sides of the ball. However, in spring ball last season, the coaching staff was ‘wowed’ by then redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke.

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Nevertheless, because of Tyler O’Connor’s knowledge of the playbook and experience in a big game (2015’s Ohio State win) the staff went with the senior. That decision did not pan out and when Mark Dantonio decided to go with Lewerke late in Michigan game he got hurt.

There is talent on this team and despite the attrition and looming legal drama there is still potential for this team to get seven wins this season with a slight potential for more if the Spartan magic is back.

This team lost a few close games last year like the Ohio State, Indiana and Illinois games by a combined eight points. In all of those games the Spartans were driving or had late opportunities to win. This team could have been 6-6 and in a bowl game to have potentially been 7-6. But they did not and finished at a miserable 3-9.

Why the hope? There is talent and there are playmakers at key spots. This could be the most talented wide receiving corps that Dantonio has ever had. LJ Scott is back and Lewerke is taking the helm at QB. The offensive and defensive lines are in doubt, but there are some solid players who will contribute and give effort and hustle.

Where are these seven-plus wins I write of? I believe MSU can win their first four games and possibly the fifth one (being Michigan). All of the teams are experiencing some major losses on either offensive or defensive sides of the ball as is MSU.

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Iowa lost its two-year starter in C.J. Beathard and stud cornerback Desmond King, Western Michigan has to replace the biggest x-factor in P.J. Fleck and numerous offensive weapons, Bowling Green, like MSU, is coming off an terrible 4-8 campaign with a defense that did not impress in 2016 and Notre Dame is a mess and it doesn’t help losing DeShone Kizer. Rumors swirl about that coach Brian Kelly is on his last leg in South Bend.

Michigan State is retuning a solid QB with a coaching staff that has been together for a long time. Therefore, I tip the scales to the Spartans in the first four games.

Also it is possible for this Spartan team to take down the mighty Wolverines. Michigan has lost much and I understand the argument against that ‘UM does not lose players they reload.’

OK, let’s step out of fantasy land, Michigan fans, and look at the fact that they did not just lose players but lost several playmakers and those are harder to replace. True, UM has several game-changers coming but it is rare a freshman is able to make the jump with ease. MSU lost Malik McDowell, but he was injured last season and took supposedly took plays off. This game could be a potential win for Sparty but right now I am 50-50 on it.

I believe the Spartans can get a win against Indiana to avenge their loss last season. I cannot remember the last time MSU has lost back to back to the Hoosiers and I cannot foresee it happening this year. MSU gets Maryland at home this year and that’ll help and should get a win against Rutgers.

That puts the win total at seven wins with potential for an upset over Northwestern, however, this game could go either way as well and it depends on how the Spartans are playing. This is key because if — a big if — the defense can be respectable in this game then the green and white have a shot. Michigan State hung around in last year’s game but Northwestern eventually slammed the door shut on a comeback.

The Ohio State game is not a slam dunk for the Buckeyes because MSU always plays the Buckeyes tough and I would put this at a pick ’em. Urban Meyer is going to do his usual QB runs and the Spartans will be ready.

If Michigan State is able to get a few breaks this year, which they received little of last season then this is a team that could compete and finish seven or more wins. Penn State was an average team at the beginning of 2016. Michigan crushed the Nittany Lions. Then somehow the Nittany Lions went on a tear.

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If the Spartans can get those early wins then seven or more is a possibility. However, all of this is predicated on the big word, if.

Hopefully MSU can turn potential into something respectable on the football field this year.

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