Michigan State football is being overlooked ahead of the 2024 season

The 2024 season is just a couple of months away now and Michigan State football fans are gearing up for what should be a rebuilding year under new head coach Jonathan Smith.

And that's a fair assumption given the fact that the Spartans have won a total of nine games over the past two seasons after they won 11 in 2022. Mel Tucker drove this program back into the ground after building it up a few seasons ago and the roster needed a massive overhaul.

Fortunately, Smith worked hard to add some key pieces this offseason like Aidan Chiles, Tanner Miller, Jack Velling, Luke Newman, Quindarius Dunnigan, D'Quan Douse, Jordan Turner, Wayne Matthews III, and Ed Woods, among others. All of those guys are projected to either start or be right there in the two-deep and they replace a lot of outgoing production that just didn't fit the new culture.

On paper, it looks like Michigan State has a team that can be competitive and at least make its first bowl game since 2021, but it feels like no one else agrees.

Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports did say that if Chiles lives up to his potential, Michigan State could be a 10-win team this year and while that's great to hear, he's the only national pundit who has some stock in the Spartans. Even Vegas believes this program is going to struggle. They have the over/under for wins this season set at 4.5.

When you look at the roster, the schedule, the coaching staff, and the added pieces replacing the departures, it looks like this is a team that could compete. Not competing for a Big Ten title yet, but at least compete for 7-8 wins and be one of those "can't overlook" teams in the conference.

Michigan State is being overlooked, but that may not be the worst thing.