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5 reasons Michigan State basketball is still No. 1 without Josh Langford

By Connor Muldowney

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 06: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 2019 NCAA Final Four semifinal at U.S. Bank Stadium on April 6, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball lost a key to the national title puzzle on Tuesday as Tom Izzo announced Josh Langford would be out. But don’t panic.

For the second straight season, Michigan State basketball received some unfortunate news regarding star wing Josh Langford.

Just last last season, Langford has been ruled out indefinitely with a re-evaluation coming in January and it was news that made Tom Izzo tear up when addressing the media. He didn’t like the fact that he had to tell one of his captains that he couldn’t play until at least January and his future looks grim in the green and white.

The day before the injury news was revealed, Michigan State was ranked the No. 1 team in the nation and many believe it was premature as the news came out shortly after. There are some media members and fans who are arguing that the Spartans no longer deserve that No. 1 ranking, the first in school history in the preseason polls.

But that shouldn’t be the case, and here’s why Michigan State is still the nation’s best team.

5. Early tests will work wonders

While this may not be a reason why Michigan State deserves to be No. 1, per se, but it will be why this team will maintain that ranking through the first month — or at least push to get back to it if the Spartans lose to one of the four top-15 teams they face.

Michigan State will see Kentucky in the Champions Classic, setting up an early No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle and if the Spartans can win that one while developing a strong replacement (Rocket Watts) for Langford, that will be huge for the team’s confidence. They’ll then travel to face No. 12 Seton Hall, open the Maui Invitational against Virginia Tech before potentially facing Kansas and Georgia — or even UCLA. And then they host Duke for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 3.

The first month of action will test this team and make the young guys grow up even faster than they had expected. Michigan State’s opener against Kentucky will prove this team deserves to be No. 1 and it’ll carry that over for the rest of non-conference play until Josh Langford is re-evaluated in January.

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