Jonathan Smith aims to get Michigan State football back to a bowl game

Michigan State football won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl during the 2021 season. The Spartans haven't reached a bowl game since then.

Spartan Nation has certainly been put through the ringer in terms of the football program. A fall of grace for such a proud program.

Back-to-back losing seasons with a 5-7 record in 2022, before a 4-8 season in 2023. It has been pretty stale for fans around Spartan Stadium. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Mark Dantonio made bowl games the norm in East Lansing.

He reached the postseason in 12 of his 13 seasons as the head man of Michigan State.

Jonathan Smith has to get the Spartans back to that precedent set by Dantonio. Everyone around the program knows it.

Smith had to completely rebuild the roster, almost top to bottom. The 2024 Spartans have a lot to prove, but their schedule is a very tough task. Especially with early road trips to Boston College in the non-conference, plus a Week 2 Big Ten game at Maryland.

The October stretch could make or break the Spartans' bowl chances, especially with a home game against Ohio State, right before a road visit to Oregon. Can't forget a road visit to hated rival Michigan that month as well.

It's not that hard to think that this first season under Smith isn't going to be an easy one. However, they certainly have talent and a much smoother operation going on than the previous staff.

So what are Michigan State's Bowl chances? Well, shockingly, Bill Bender of Sporting News has some good news for Spartan Nation. He projects MSU to reach the postseason in 2024.

The offseason work the Michigan State staff has done not to mention the guys on the team, certainly has a much more positive buzz around East Lansing.

College football is better when the Spartans have something to say on the field. I, for one, trust Smith to get Michigan State back to where it belongs.