With Michigan State having some up and down seasons the last few years, the Spartans have seen some big wins, and some big losses. It seems almost impossible to predict how good the Spartans will be season-to-season.

With a new head coach and a revamped roster that can make some noise, there are some expectations to be fulfilled.

Let’s go over some bold predictions:

Michigan State has not made a bowl game since 2021, when the Spartans won the Peach Bowl over Pittsburgh 31-21 in a classic.

In the last two seasons, Michigan State has gone 5-7 in 2022 and 4-8 in 2023. With new head coach Jonathan Smith and an improved roster, it seems like a bowl game might even be its floor, if quarterback Aidan Chiles is able to keep the team consistent throughout the season.

Most of Michigan State's games early and late in the season will be easier, but fringe games against Rutgers and Maryland will make or break MSU's season. The Spartans need to make sure they enter the final game of the season 6-5 or better, because counting on a win over Rutgers in Week 14 will be risky.

Consistency is key for MSU. The Spartans have a ton of “we should win this” games throughout the year. They just need to win them.

Games against Florida Atlantic, Prairie View A&M, Indiana, and Purdue seem like easier wins, while Maryland, Boston College, Illinois and Rutgers, are manageable, but a bit tougher. The Spartans need Chiles to be a quarterback leader that the Spartan squad has not seemed to have in years.

If all goes perfect, the Spartans go 8-0 in those games, but they will likely finish at 6-2 or 7-1 in those eight matchups.

In games five through eight, Michigan State plays some of the best teams in the country. It starts in East Lansing against Ohio State, whom the Spartans have lost to eight years in a row. After, they visit Eugene to play the Oregon Ducks. Then, they meet Iowa back in East Lansing, before finishing the stretch in Ann Arbor a week later against Michigan.

All of these teams will likely be in the top 25 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls, and they all seem unbeatable. With that being said, the Week 8 matchup against Iowa seems the most winnable of the four.

Last season, the Spartans gave the Hawkeyes a run for their money in Kinnick Stadium. In a game with five lead changes, the Spartans had a chance, as they even had the lead with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Sadly, they were not able to stay consistent, and ultimately lost 26-16. Iowa’s offense has been terrible the last few seasons, being last in FBS in yards per game in 2023.

Iowa's quarterback, Cade McNamara, was not consistently playing for them, as he got injured in Week 5 vs. Michigan State last season. If he stays healthy, the Hawkeyes should make it interesting. Otherwise, Michigan State has a great chance to complete a big upset in East Lansing.

Star running back Nate Carter finished with 798 yards in his redshirt sophomore season at Michigan State, beating out Jalen Berger for the starting spot. He proved to be a great offensive weapon for Michigan State in his first year as a Spartan, and should only get better.

Before Michigan State, he played for UConn, where he recorded 578 and 401 yards, respectively. Sadly, his second season with the Huskies was cut short after four weeks, but, from there, he was able to transfer to Michigan State.

Carter was ninth in the Big Ten in rushing yards last season, and should aim for an even higher spot as he will likely have an even bigger role in 2024.

Another player who should have a big role this season is Montorie Foster Jr. With a new and hopefully consistent quarterback, Foster should be able to establish chemistry and get a better opportunity to be consistent, rather than having to adjust to three different quarterbacks.

Michigan State needs a good passing attack, which they have not had since Jayden Reed and Keon Coleman were on the receiving corps. Expect Foster to improve on his 576 receiving yards from his 2023 campaign, and make progress on becoming a top receiver in the Big Ten in 2024.

More 2024 football season preview content:

Full roster breakdown by the numbers
Breakout candidates on offense
Breaking down Michigan State's schedule
Positional Preview: Quarterbacks
Positional Preview: Running backs
Positional Preview: Wide receivers
Positional Preview: Tight ends
Positional Preview: Offensive line
Positional Preview: Interior defensive line
Positional Preview: Defensive ends and rush ends
Positional Preview: Linebackers
Positional Preview: Defensive backs

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