The preseason AP Top 25 has been released and it proves one thing for certain: Pat Fitzgerald has his work cut out for him in his first season with Michigan State.
While Michigan State obviously didn’t sniff the preseason AP Top 25 and likely won’t until the Spartans can prove they can make a bowl game, the new rankings proved that Fitzgerald is going to face a gauntlet in his first season as head coach.
Don’t believe it? All you have to do is take a quick glance at the preseason rankings to realize that Michigan State will be facing a ranked opponent for one-third of its schedule.
Here’s who Michigan State is facing this season along with their ranking:
- Oregon (2)
- Notre Dame (4)
- Michigan (16)
- Washington (17)
And these aren’t even counting the opponents who are receiving votes and could jump into the top 25 by the time they face the Spartans in 2026:
- Illinois (9 votes in AP Top 25, 62 in Coaches Poll)
- Nebraska (12 votes in Coaches Poll)
That means that half of Michigan State’s 2026 opponents are either in the preseason top 25 or they’re receiving votes to be in the preseason top 25. If that doesn’t tell you how tricky it’s going to be for Fitzgerald to navigate this first year in East Lansing, nothing will.
Michigan State will have to pull off some upsets to make a bowl
No Ohio State, no Penn State, no Indiana, and no USC should mean that Michigan State has an easier schedule than most, but that’s not the case in a loaded Big Ten ahead of the 2026 season.
The conference has gotten better every year, and this might be the deepest that it’s ever been. Michigan State won’t face the top team in the league, the reigning national champ, or Penn State and it’s still going to have to scratch and claw its way to a bowl berth.
Oregon and Notre Dame are both in the preseason top five and there’s a good chance that they both remain there by the time they face Michigan State. Unfortunately, the Spartans aren’t likely to win either game.
Michigan and Washington are more winnable games, but those would have to be upsets for Fitzgerald and Co. Realistically, pulling one of those off (Washington) isn’t out of the question. Then there’s Illinois and Nebraska who will both be coming to East Lansing and Michigan State will be the underdog in both, but maybe that shouldn’t be the case. Don’t be surprised if the Spartans protect home field in those two games.
A bowl game isn’t likely for Michigan State this season, but with Fitzgerald in charge, it’s more than possible. Gone are the days of vanilla coaching with no results.
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