Michigan State Football: Will Spartans be more than 1-2 win team in 2020?

Michigan State football’s 2020 schedule could be tough road for head coach Mel Tucker. How many wins can the Spartans get?

This article is a pessimistic view of all of MSU’s games. It’s difficult for any new coach in year one especially in a pandemic. However, there are pieces for Mel Tucker to build around and to set the team up for 2021. This is 2020 and how good could they possibly be?

In taking a pessimistic view, it appears as if MSU could be 1-7 or 2-6 on paper. The schedule does set up nicely for them early on in getting Rutgers as the first game with a new head coach. Then the Spartans have Michigan Week 2. However, the Spartans are not just breaking in a new coaching staff they have much competition among players.

Anyone who has watched former coach Mark Dantonio and new quarterbacks understand the growing pains. Tucker is not Dantonio yet he has some critical decisions to make, which could mean some stumbling out of the gate.

Rutgers seems to play the Spartans tough and they have a decent defense. I’m expecting an early loss to the Scarlet Knights. Things do not get any easier with Michigan, I expect a loss. Then they go to Iowa and are at home to Indiana and again I expect more losing. However, they catch a break with Maryland and their first win.

If the Spartans can show grit and a coming together then they possibly could recover. Yet their schedule does not get any easier with Northwestern, Ohio State and Penn State to end. Iowa and Northwestern are games they could win due to quarterback situations. MSU will have to figure out their own situation.

Each Michigan State quarterback is different and all of them offer good potential, especially with glowing reports about receiver Jayden Reed. Tucker’s decision on the starting quarterback will be the deciding factor on how good MSU could be. If he swings and misses then it could spiral out of control. He has talent yet many unknowns.

Redshirt junior Rocky Lombardi will most likely get the start against Rutgers and fans will also see other quarterbacks. He will have to make plays, in fact whoever is under center must be a playmaker for this team to compete. Tucker did not have much at Colorado and he has bit more in East Lansing.

The hope is that there are opportunities to go 4-4 and if the Spartans could do that then it would bring fans hope for 2021. Wins against Rutgers, Maryland, Iowa and Northwestern are possible. However, going 1-7 or 2-6 would be hard to swallow. The barometer would have to be how tough they play otherwise it will be a long offseason.