Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith looks on during practice on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Report: Where Spartans Rank in 'Big Ten Post-Spring Power Rankings'

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated May 20, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Michigan State Spartans are hoping for a much-improved season after going 5-7 and missing a bowl appearance for the third-straight season. A recent ranking does not give Spartan fans much hope for a bounce-back season that would propel them to the upper level of the Big Ten.

CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli provided a "Big Ten post-spring power rankings" of all 18 teams in the conference. Much like the Spartans finished last season, they have been ranked as the No. 15 team in the conference. They finished tied for 13th in the conference in 2024 with a 5-7 record.

Fornelli provided some insight into his reasoning to give the Spartans such a low ranking. He feels that there is a significant drop-off between the upper echelon of Big Ten teams compared to all the rest. Despite that, he has the Spartans relying almost all on junior quarterback Aidan Chiles.

"A little peek behind the curtain for you all. If I were to break these power rankings into tiers instead of individual slots, everybody from No. 8 USC to Michigan State down here at 15 would be in the same tier," Fornelli wrote.

"All of these teams have similarities and are a breakthrough player away from leapfrogging plenty of teams. For Michigan State, that player is quarterback Aidan Chiles. The Spartans will go as far as he's capable of taking them."

If Chiles is able to eliminate the turnover issues that plagued him and the Spartans for the entirety of last season, they may have a chance at winning a few games that they shouldn't. This is a make-or-break year for the junior quarterback as he must show growth for this team to succeed.

Michigan State brought in a few promising transfer pieces in a pair of elite wide receivers to help sophomore Nick Marsh. Former Kent State sophomore wide out Chrishon McCray and Middle Tennessee State junior Omari Kelly will help Chiles a ton this year.

Unfortunately, due to the difficult schedule that awaits the Spartans, the offensive additions will not be enough to make them a top contender this year.

Personally, I see the Spartans getting worse, going 4-8. After starting 3-0 against non-conference opponents, they will lose their next five straight games before beating their only Big Ten opponent, Minnesota. It will be another struggle year for the Chiles as Fornelli accurately predicted their demise.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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