Pat Fitzgerald’s first season at Michigan State already looks like a grind, and the preseason AP Top 25 is the reason why.
The Spartans didn’t crack the rankings, and they probably won’t until they show they can get back to bowl eligibility. But the new poll makes one thing plain: Fitzgerald is walking into a schedule that leaves very little margin for error. Michigan State will see a ranked opponent in one-third of its games, a brutal reality for a first-year head coach trying to get traction in East Lansing.
The list starts with the heavy hitters. Michigan State is set to face Oregon at No. 2 and Notre Dame at No. 4, both teams sitting in the preseason top five and both looking likely to stay there when the Spartans get to them. Those are the kinds of games that demand a near-perfect day, and the source material makes it clear that Michigan State isn’t expected to win either one.
Then come Michigan at No. 16 and Washington at No. 17.
Those matchups look more manageable on paper, but they still count as upset territory for Fitzgerald and Co. Washington, in particular, is described as the more realistic chance for Michigan State to steal one.
And if the Spartans are going to surprise anybody from this group, that’s the one that stands out.
It’s not just the ranked teams, either. Michigan State also has opponents receiving votes who could climb into the top 25 by the time 2026 rolls around. Put it all together, and half of the Spartans’ schedule is either already in the preseason top 25 or knocking on the door.
That’s a tough assignment even before you account for the rest of the Big Ten. No Ohio State, no Penn State, no Indiana, and no USC might sound like a break, but the conference is still described as deeper and better than ever. Michigan State won’t have to deal with the top team in the league, the reigning national champion, or Penn State, and still may have to scrap just to get to six wins.
There is at least some room for optimism at home. Illinois and Nebraska are both headed to East Lansing, and Michigan State will be the underdog in both games. Even so, the source material suggests those are spots where the Spartans could hold serve and maybe surprise a few people.
A bowl game may not be the expectation, but it isn’t off the table, either. With Fitzgerald in charge, Michigan State at least has a chance to turn a difficult first year into something more than another empty season.
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