Could Michigan State football go from missing the postseason to playing for a national championship in 2023? It’s unlikely, but Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports gives the Spartans a shot.
TCU was the ultimate season-to-season flip this year, going from missing a bowl game in 2021 to reaching the title game in 2022. That got Fornelli wondering who could potentially experience a similar reserve course in 2023 and the Spartans were on of his five teams listed.
Click here to read the complete story from Fornelli on CBS Sports
Who else does Fornelli think could go from the bottom to the top in 2023? See Fornelli’s complete list below with a little bit of his reasoning for each:
Auburn
Some of what Fornelli had to say:
“OK, let’s check off some boxes here. It’s a team coming off a 5-7 season with a first-year head coach. Sure, it’s Auburn, and it has won a national title this century, so it’s not a true “TCU” program, but it meets enough criteria to make the list. Auburn has proven time and again that if everybody involved with the program pulls in the same direction, it’s capable of doing great things.”
Miami (FL)
Some of what Fornelli had to say:
“I already regret writing this story. Oh well, we’re too deep now, and I have nobody to blame but myself. I was one of the many who bought in a little too heavily on Miami ahead of the 2022 season. I did not consider how much of a roster rebuild coach Mario Cristobal had in mind. That said, while thinking Miami could have won the ACC was a bridge too far, that should’ve been a more likely outcome than 5-7.”
Texas A&M
Some of what Fornelli had to say:
“What have I done? First Miami, then Nebraska, and now Texas A&M. If only Texas had gone 5-7, I could include it and complete the Hypebeast Superfecta. Listen, it’s hard to trust the Aggies. I don’t, but you cannot deny that this is a talented roster that underperformed in 2022. I was never in the “Texas A&M is a playoff contender” crowd, but 5-7? That should’ve been impossible with the talent on hand.”
Nebraska
Some of what Fornelli had to say:
“Like Auburn, Nebraska has a first-year coach taking over with Matt Rhule returning to the college game. Unlike Auburn and TCU, Nebraska didn’t go 5-7 this season; it went 4-8, so there’s even more ground to make up in the standings. Like Miami, the path for Nebraska may not be as tricky as it is for others. While the Big 12 was one of the best conferences in college football this season, there’s no question that neither Texas nor Oklahoma living up to their potential helped TCU.”
Michigan State
Some of what Fornelli had to say:
“In a sense, Michigan State was the original TCU. The Spartans went 2-5 in Mel Tucker’s first season in East Lansing, which was a step back from 7-6 in 2019, but one that wasn’t all that unexpected. Tucker was a late offseason hire after the unexpected retirement of Mark Dantonio, and just after Tucker moved into his new office, a once-in-a-century global pandemic hit. All of that was slightly less anticipated than Michigan State exploding for an 11-2 mark and Peach Bowl appearance in 2021.”
Click here to read full story on CBS Sports
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