Mark Dantonio was on the verge of being fired just a few seasons ago. Now, he has had four 11+ win seasons in his last five years, and has led the Michigan State Spartans to four consecutive bowl wins, including two straight in the BCS bowls. Is this the year he and his Spartans end up legitimately contending for a National Championship?
2015 SCHEDULE
9/4: at Western Michigan
9/12: vs. Oregon
9/19: vs. Air Force
9/26: vs. Central Michigan
10/3: vs. Purdue
10/10: at Rutgers
10/17: at Michigan
10/24: vs. Indiana
11/7: at Nebraska
11/14: vs. Maryland
11/21: at Ohio State
11/28: vs. Penn State
There are a lot of potential problems with this schedule for the Spartans, not the least of which is the fact that they have to play three vastly different offenses over the course of their first three games of the season. Taking on Oregon, even in East Lansing, isn't going to be easy, and that next game against Air Force looks like a potential banana peel.
After that though, things loosen up until a November 21 game at the Shoe against Ohio State, one which will almost definitively be for the Big Ten East title for the second straight season.
SEASON WIN TOTAL
A season win total of nine with the over lined at -155 almost seems a bit too high for this team. Dantonio knows what he is doing, but there are at least two, if not three games on this schedule in which Michigan State will be an underdog. Road games at Michigan and Nebraska aren't going to be any fun, and Penn State the last week of the season is never a lock of a game.
That said, with a senior-laden team, it wouldn't be stunning to see Sparty run the table as well.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
It's all about Connor Cook this year. The Spartans' pivot really came on strong at the end of the season, and many believe that he could be in line to be the top pick in the NFL Draft next season if he excels this year.
His stats don't hop off the page at you (58.1% completions, 3,214 yards, 24 TDs, eight INTs), but Cook can really gun the ball in there, and his decision-making has improved drastically.
Jeremy Langford, a 1,500+ yard back a year ago, has graduated, and that leaves Delton Williams to carry the load at tailback.
MSU has three senior wide receivers to work with, but none of them have ever played huge roles.
Where this team really is awesome is along the offensive line. Jack Conklin and Jack Allen are both NFL prospects, and both could end up being All-Americans by the time this year is said and done with.
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK
Eight men are back on this defense, and there projects to be eight starters who are seniors on this front.
Shilique Calhoun will be a terror to try to block off of the end, and he is going to have to be fantastic for this unit to excel. Losing Trae Waynes to the NFL Draft was a huge loss, as he was an All-American corner in 2014.
SEASON PREDICTION
Michigan State is 5 to 1 to reach the playoff this year, and that feels just about right to us. This team is going to have to go 12-1 at worst and beat Ohio State to get into the CFP, and we just don't see that happening.
A price of 25 to 1 to win the National Championship might look good, but we have to remember that, even though the Spartans have beaten two straight BCS teams in bowl games, they have never really made that last jump to legitimately contend for all the marbles. They'll probably fall just short this year, too.
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