Former Michigan State football WR named preseason first-team All-American
College football is one week away. Can you believe that?
Michigan State football is still two weeks away from kicking their season off, but Week 0 games begin next week which marks the beginning of the best season of the year.
Now that football season is here, it’s time for media and fans to release their preseason projections. The preseason AP Poll is out and many position awards have published their preseason watch lists already. But the icing on the cake is the preseason All American teams which was The Action Network published this week.
Unfortunately no Spartan was included on their list, but one very familiar name made the cut at wide receiver. Do you remember the name Ricky White?
White played his freshman season at Michigan State in 2020 before transferring to UNLV. And if you all can remember that far back, then you definitely remember the legendary game White had at Michigan State.
Michigan State’s 2020 season felt all but over as they entered their second game of the season. The Spartans just lost their season opener against Rutgers in embarrassing fashion after turning the ball over eight times. MSU was then heading to Ann Arbor to take on a team everyone thought was very good after beating a ranked Minnesota team on the road in their first game of the season.
But then-quarterback Rocky Lombardi and White had career games against that team down the road. White shocked the world by finishing with eight catches for 196 yards and a touchdown in the Spartan’s 27-24 upset win.
OTD in @MSU_Football History:
— Dalton Shetler (@DaltonShetler) October 31, 2023
On October 31, 2020, MSU went to Ann Arbor and defeated Michigan 27-24. The Spartans had opened as 24 point underdogs, and behind historic efforts from @rocky_lombardi, @Only1RW and others, MSU pulled off the upset 3 years ago today! pic.twitter.com/y3JRmyIFjx
White unfortunately did not have any other meaningful moments at Michigan State, but his legend will live on from this game alone.
After leaving Michigan State, White found his new home at UNLV where he has been one of the best receivers in the country. Last year as a junior, White recorded 88 receptions for 1,483 yards and eight touchdowns.
White now enters his senior season with sky high expectations, which includes being named one of three wide receiver All-Americans by The Action Network.
It’s unfortunate that White’s time in East Lansing didn’t work out, but it’ll be very interesting to watch his season from afar and see if he can live up to the hype.