Michigan State Football: Previewing Spartans’ 2020 toss-up games

With new staff and new players, Michigan State football will quickly learn their identity under Mel Tucker in these season deciding toss up matchups.

When I thought of the idea to come up with this list, it seemed simple and easy. Generally, top tier Big Ten teams have two or three toss up games in each season. I didn’t realize how comfortable I had gotten as a Spartan fan over Dantonio’s tenure until now.

I could easily call six or seven of the games on Michigan State’s schedule toss-up games — games that could go either way. That’s just how life is as a middle tier team; the gap between 4-8 and 8-4 isn’t all that big.

And so, as I looked through the schedule, I really had to narrow it down quite a bit. There were teams that were hard to place. For example, Minnesota, who went 10-2 and won the Big Ten West last season but is on a five game losing streak to Michigan State. There are games like Toledo, which seem like clear losses but have beaten teams of a similar caliber to Michigan State.

All in all, it’s time to accept the fact that Michigan State Football is a middle tier Big Ten program as of right now. And that means that the results of each season will be more unpredictable and less meaningful.

That being said, let’s look at Michigan State’s toss up games on the 2020 schedule.