It’s been one of the more interesting Michigan State basketball seasons in quite some time as the Spartans were off to a school record start, but they’ve since fallen on some hard times and potentially out of the Big Ten title race.
With Michigan looking like it’s going to beat Purdue in West Lafayette, the Spartans’ already-slim Big Ten title hopes took another huge hit.
While this team may not match last year’s and win a Big Ten title, there’s still plenty to play for whether it’s the Big Ten Tournament or the NCAA Tournament. Tom Izzo is going to have this team ready to compete in March, and he knows that all eyes are going to be on the Spartans as they enter the NCAA Tournament like they are every year.
More eyes have actually been on this team this year than all but one other team in college basketball, making Michigan State must-see TV.
Don’t believe me? Check out the list below of the top 10 most-watched teams in college basketball this season.
Most-watched men’s college basketball teams through February 8, via @nielsen 📺https://t.co/dLZKk5i1qr pic.twitter.com/XkUIufyWFs
— On3 (@On3) February 17, 2026
On3 reported that Michigan State is the second most-watched team in college basketball this season behind only the Duke Blue Devils. What does this prove? That Michigan State is not only a national brand, but in line with the rest of college basketball’s blue bloods.
Michigan State lives to play big games
One of the main reasons that Michigan State is so high on this list is because it has faced six of the teams on it already. People are tuning in when Michigan State is playing elite teams. There have been several big-time matchups this season, but I’d be willing to bet that Michigan State’s matchups against Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan, and Illinois were some of the most-watched games.
Michigan State continues to put up viewership numbers every year, the Spartans always sell out the Breslin Center, and the team is always playing in March, often past the first weekend.
Michigan State is a national brand, so don’t let any rival fans tell you that it’s a regional one.
We can thank Izzo for that.