College Football: Preseason Top 25 Projections
By Zach Bigalke
The Spartans are increasingly looking like the best choice in the Big Ten East thanks to the ongoing saga in Columbus. Last year, Michigan State returned to prominence after a one-year slip and were in contention for the division title into November. This year, Mark Dantonio‘s team has a veteran team ready to take its best chance at getting to Indianapolis.
Brian Lewerke will be taking snaps from a new center after Brian Allen was drafted in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. Other than that, every other player on offense will be familiar to the second-year starter at quarterback. Lewerke has receivers like Felton Davis III and Cody White to make life easier and running back L.J. Scott is back for his senior year as well.
The offense is stacked, but so is the defense. Michigan State brought back all but two of their defensive starters from 2017, and only four teams in the FBS bring back more returning production on defense. They probably won’t quite crack the top 10, but the Spartans will be right on the cusp lurking in the pre-teens of the preseason AP Top 25.