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5 college football programs on the verge of becoming powerhouses

By Connor Muldowney

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears celebrates after defeating the Mississippi Rebels 21-7 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: Head coach Dave Aranda of the Baylor Bears celebrates after defeating the Mississippi Rebels 21-7 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 01, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 30: Blake Bueter #69 of the Michigan State Spartans holds the trophy and celebrates with teammates after defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 30: Blake Bueter #69 of the Michigan State Spartans holds the trophy and celebrates with teammates after defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

2. Michigan State Spartans

The end of the Mark Dantonio era put Michigan State in a bad place. The program’s legendary and celebrated head coach led the Spartans to their most success in about 50 years with Big Ten titles, a Rose Bowl win, and a playoff appearance, but a 14-12 record in his final two seasons before a sudden retirement left a sour taste in fans’ mouths.

Michigan State was back in a bad spot like the one in which Dantonio found it. Then Luke Fickell looked to be the replacement for him and it would have been a home-run hire. Somehow, someway, that deal fell through, and the Spartans were forced to pry Mel Tucker from Colorado.

Getting Tucker to say yes after he already said “thanks, but no thanks” was a Hail Mary move by the athletic department, but it was the right move. He had just one year of head coaching experience with Colorado where he went 5-7, but he was an impressive defensive coordinator at Georgia, a great recruiter, and he had NFL experience. It was the perfect hire.

Plus, Tucker called Michigan State a “dream job” after starting his career in East Lansing under Nick Saban as a grad assistant a couple of decades earlier.

Tucker went just 2-5 in his first COVID-19-affected season which can’t really be judged but then he led the Spartans to an 11-2 record in 2021 with a Peach Bowl win over Pitt. He’s also beaten Michigan twice. He has the program trending in the right direction thanks to a heavy hand in the portal and better recruiting than the Spartans have seen in five-plus years.

Michigan State is starting to mold into a Big Ten contender which will eventually become a national power.

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