Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for 2021-22 season

Michigan State basketball is finally back. After a long offseason, the Spartans tip off the 2021-22 season on Tuesday night in the annual Champions Classic with a battle against No. 3 Kansas.

If Michigan State wants to shed that “underdog” tag, it needs to beat Kansas or, at the very least, keep things competitive. The Spartans need to show that they belong in the national title conversation with a good game against the top-five Jayhawks.

Expectations may not be at an all-time high for the Spartans, but this year’s team could be special because they aren’t supposed to be elite.

Let’s dive into some bold predictions ahead of the 2021-22 season.

5. MSU upsets Kansas in Champions Classic

Saying Michigan State “upsets” anyone in the annual Champions Classic just feels wrong, but the Spartans are massive underdogs this season, beginning the year unranked against the No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks. If there’s any year to call it an “upset”, this is the one.

The Spartans will head into this game as underdogs to start the season but I truly believe Michigan State is going to shock some people and pull off the upset here.

Tom Izzo will have his team ready and I think there are a lot of people overlooking the Spartans and they play their best, traditionally, when they aren’t expected to be elite. I see Michigan State taking down a Jalen Wilson-less Kansas team on Tuesday night to shock the college basketball world and really tip the season off on the right note.

It’s going to be a heck of a game and it’ll go down to the wire, but I think Max Christie becomes a household name in this one.