Erick Smith of USA TODAY is not as high on the 2022 Michigan State Spartans as many of his peers.
Smith released an updated batch of preseason rankings with spring ball wrapped up across the country, and he didn’t have Michigan State as high as some other media outlets. While the Spartans have mostly been found right around the top 10 in other rankings, Smith listed Michigan State at No. 18 in his updated rankings.
Here’s a bit of what Smith had to say about Michigan State:
“The good news for the Spartans defense is that most of its starters are returning. The bad news is that the group ranked last in passing yards allowed (324.8) and 111th in total defense (441.9). Like last year, coach Mel Tucker was aggressive in the transfer portal to address his team’s needs.”
Other Big Ten teams listed in Smith’s rankings are Ohio State (No. 3), Michigan (No. 7), Iowa (No. 11), Wisconsin (No. 15) and Penn State (No. 20).
Check out the complete writeup on Michigan State and full rankings from Smith by clicking on the tweet below:
With spring practice for FBS schools now complete, @ericksmith ranks the Top 25 for the 2022 college football season: https://t.co/gvzAEctOkQ
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) May 5, 2022
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