Through four games, Michigan State football is 3-1 and has plenty of room for growth.
The Spartans have played well enough to beat Boston College and head into the fourth quarter down just one touchdown at USC, but it's clear that the defense has fallen short of expectations.
These five players, however, have exceeded expectations through four games.
1. Malcolm Bell, CB
UConn cornerback transfer Malcolm Bell has been one of the biggest surprises on the team, and I'm not sure there were any expectations for him when he transferred to Michigan State. That makes this "exceeding expectations" ranking so easy.
Bell came in with a handful of other defensive backs, and he's not only earned starting snaps, but he looks like the most consistent cornerback on the team. He's been targeted just seven times through four games, giving up only 67 yards. He also has 10 tackles and a pass breakup. Bell is fun to watch.
2. Aidan Chiles, QB
Were the expectations higher for Aidan Chiles heading into the 2025 season? Absolutely, but that doesn't always equate to production. There was a ton of cautious optimism surroduning Chiles' potential improvement, but he still struggled mightily in his first year as QB1, so even a slight improvement would've been welcomed.
I don't think anyone saw this massive improvement coming. He's improved his completion percentage by about 10 points, he has nine touchdown passes to just one pick (he had just 13 touchdown passes last year with 11 picks), he's just shy of 900 passing yards, and he has over 120 rushing yards. Chiles has crushed expectations so far.
3. Makhi Frazier, RB
Another guy who didn't come into the season with a ton of expectations, meaning that he's obviously crushed them so far, is Makhi Frazier. He was fighting for the starting job with Brandon Tullis and Elijah Tau-Tolliver, but it's pretty clear through four games that he's the top rusher on the team.
Frazier has 267 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. If it wasn't for that forgettable performance against Youngstown State, he'd have an average of over 5.0 yards per touch.
4. Martin Connington, K
Martin Connington came to Michigan State as the No. 7 kicker in the 2024 class, and he redshirted, knowing that he'd have big shoes to fill in 2025 when Jonathan Kim left for the NFL.
So far, despite fighting through some injuries, he's been really good, making 5-of-6 field goals and all 10 extra points. His only field goal miss was a 55-yarder at the end of the first half at USC. Not too shabby for a brand-new kicker. It looks like MSU may have found another gem.
5. Matt Gulbin, OC
Why is Matt Gulbin so low on this list despite arguably having the most success? Well, because he came to Michigan State as a coveted transfer from Wake Forest and was named a captain during the preseason, so everyone was kind of expecting him to be the leader of the group.
But in the conversation for the best center in the country? No one saw that coming. He's been really good through four games, and I think he's going to lead the charge to turn this offensive line around.