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ESPN predicts disastrous finish to 2025 season for Michigan State football

ByConnor Muldowney|
Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith watches game action against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith watches game action against the Southern California Trojans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Michigan State football won its first three games of the season, but all it took was one loss to get everyone to jump off the bandwagon.

I've seen fans exhibit serious impatience for the Jonathan Smith rebuild, and I get it. The defense hasn't gotten any better from last year's nightmare, while the offense is looking impressive. The Spartans aren't going to be able to do much with a no-show defense every week, though.

It all started against Boston College, surrendering 40 points and nearly 400 passing yards, and it continued against Youngstown State and USC. The Spartan defense has been getting gashed for the past three weeks, and it led to a 45-31 loss to USC in Week 4. The lack of defense in that game had people calling for not only Joe Rossi's job, but Smith's, too.

All the good graces Smith had built through the first three games have seemingly disappeared.

Fans aren't the only ones down on Michigan State after its recent poor stretch of defensive outings. ESPN's matchup predictor, too, has the Spartans finishing the season disastrously.

ESPN believes that Michigan State will finish the season 1-7 after that 3-1 start.

Looking at the schedule, 1-7 is obviously possible, but I just can't see the Spartans losing to UCLA and Maryland. On top of that, I tend to lean win against Minnesota and Iowa, despite those two games being on the road. A split there likely gets Michigan State to a bowl game.

As for Nebraska, Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State, those are all likely losses. There could be a stolen win or two in that group, but likely 0-4 against the big dogs on the schedule.

Predicting Michigan State wins just one more game with a few favorable matchups remaining (including four Big Ten home games) is asinine.

Let's hope ESPN is way off.

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