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Michigan State football: 5 reasons to be optimistic about the 2023 season

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 5, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mel Tucker reacts during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mel Tucker reacts during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan State’s coach Mel Tucker calls out to players during the opening day of MSU’s football fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in East Lansing.
Michigan State’s coach Mel Tucker calls out to players during the opening day of MSU’s football fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in East Lansing. /

1. Recent success as a preseason unranked team

As one of our writers wrote on Monday, Michigan State has had plenty of success as a preseason unranked team over the past 15, or so, years.

In fact, if you exclude the 2020 season, the last four times that Michigan State has begun the season unranked, it has finished ranked in the top 15 with 10-plus wins. In 2010, Michigan State was unranked and ended the year 11-2 with a final ranking of No. 14. In 2013, the Spartans went from unranked to Rose Bowl champions with a 12-1 record and No. 3 final ranking. In 2017, Michigan State went 10-3 with a Holiday Bowl win, ranking 15th in the final AP Poll. And in 2021, Michigan State was 11-2 with a Peach Bowl win, finishing No. 8.

That kind of track record as an unranked preseason team should excite any Spartan fan.

When there are zero expectations for Michigan State football, it usually fares very well. That proof has been in the pudding for the past 15 years.

Oh, and the last few times that there were legit quarterback battles, Michigan State has come out and had a ton of success.

The preseason unranked track record has me buying in.

Next. 4 All-Big Ten candidates on offense for 2023. dark

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