It has been four years since the Michigan State Spartans have reached a bowl game. Fans have seen the team sputter to the finish in each of the last three seasons.
Jonathan Smith had MSU in a good position to make a bowl game last year, needing to win just two games to reach that status. However, the team collapsed down the stretch and finished with only five wins.
This finish discouraged many fans about the future of Spartan football under Smith. Many expected him to come to East Lansing and immediately turn things around.
But that’s not how college football rebuilds work. It will take time, especially for Smith, who is learning an entirely new landscape.
Smith built Oregon State into a double-digit winner, but it took multiple years. The Big Ten is a tougher dragon to slay, but it is entirely feasible to think he can have similar success at MSU.
The next step in the rebuild process for the Spartans is to finish with a record above .500 and reach a bowl game.
That will happen this year. But why?
For one, the Spartans’ schedule is much less difficult than the 2024 campaign. MSU does not have Oregon, Ohio State, Iowa, and Michigan in a four-game stretch.
That marked the second-toughest schedule in college football last year. MSU fans will be happy to know the team does not face that kind of gauntlet next season.
Second, there should be marked improvements from Aidan Chiles as a quarterback. The junior saw the field much better towards the end of the season and did not throw an interception over the final three games.
Chiles has a high ceiling, one he did not reach in 2024. With a year under his belt and no more first-year starter jitters, expect to see the flashes of brilliance he showed become more consistent.
The offensive line is much improved on paper with additions in the transfer portal like Conner Moore, Matt Gulbin, and Luka Vincic. Getting players like Gavin Broscious and Kristian Phillips back healthy is also a major bonus.
MSU could not run the ball well last season because of its offensive line, and Chiles saw defenders in his face far too often. That should not happen in 2025.
Smith and his offensive staff covet smaller, speedier receivers than the team had last year. Now that players like Omari Kelly and Chrishon McCray are on the roster, Smith can run his offense more comfortably.
The Spartans were ravaged by injuries on the defensive side of the ball last season. Getting players like Dillon Tatum and Malik Spencer back healthy will provide more consistency to a group that struggled down the stretch.
This MSU team is talented, but it was tough for things to come together in Smith’s first year.
Expect that to change in 2025 and for the Spartans to play in a bowl game in December.
Remember to stay up to date with all our Michigan State athletics coverage when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and feel free to share your thoughts when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
