Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Most overrated, underrated college football teams by Power 5 conference

By John Scimeca

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the USC Trojans calls a play during the 2022 USC Spring Football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 23: Head coach Lincoln Riley of the USC Trojans calls a play during the 2022 USC Spring Football game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on April 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 30: Jalen Nailor #8 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a long run in the second quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Adam Hagy/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 30: Jalen Nailor #8 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a long run in the second quarter of the game against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 30, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Adam Hagy/Getty Images) /

Big Ten

Most Overrated: Michigan State Spartans

Some prognosticators have the Spartans pegged as a top 10 team entering the 2022 season but hold your horses. Michigan State had a nice run last year that included defeating Michigan and winning 11 games, but it’s too quick to assume that the squad will be back to that level of success in 2022.

The Spartans must replace three starters on the offensive line that paved the way for Kenneth Walker III’s memorable 2021 season — he won the Doak Walker Award after gaining 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He’s now playing for the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

The secondary is a concern, too, as a unit that surrendered 325 yards per game through the air, ranking dead last in the entire country last year. Both starting defensive ends must be replaced from a unit that struggled in the pass rush.

Michigan State faces a tough Big Ten slate of games, including a tough midseason stretch of Ohio State, Wisconsin, bye week, and at Michigan before ending the year with a trip to Penn State.

Listed above are solely the negative aspects of the Spartans’ 2022 outlook, to be sure — but it’s difficult to see this squad repeating last year’s 11-win season.

Most Underrated: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Head coach P.J. Fleck continues to “row the boat” in the Twin Cities, with last year’s team defeating Wisconsin and winning its bowl game against West Virginia to finish with a 9-4 record. He’s now led the team to 23 wins and 10 losses combined in the past three seasons.

There’s not a lot of preseason buzz about the Golden Gophers in 2022, however. The defense was the No. 6-ranked unit in the nation last year in points allowed (17.3 points per game) and quarterback Tanner Morgan returns for a fifth year under center despite some inconsistency last season.

Minnesota has an easy non-conference slate followed up by a Big Ten regular-season schedule that’s notably missing Michigan or Ohio State. If the Gophers can handle road trips to Michigan State and Penn State in the first half of league play, look out.

Home/College Football News