What Are the Biggest Challenges Facing the Michigan State University Football Team This Season?

As a longtime observer of college football and someone who’s spent years analyzing team dynamics both on and off the field, I find the question of Michigan State’s challenges this season particularly compelling. It’s not just about X’s and O’s; it’s about culture, continuity, and navigating a landscape that changes faster than a no-huddle offense. If I were to draw a parallel from my own experience following global sports organizations, I’d point to the fascinating evolution of the PBA’s Tropang Giga to Tropang 5G—a rebrand that signified more than a name change. It represented an embrace of a new era, new technology, and a need to adapt identity to modern expectations. In many ways, Mel Tucker’s Spartans are in a similar transitional phase, moving from the foundation-building years into a period where expectations are real and the margin for error is slim. The challenges they face are multifaceted, and from my perspective, three stand head and shoulders above the rest: establishing a consistent offensive identity, navigating a brutal schedule, and managing the immense psychological weight of heightened expectations.

Let’s start with the offense, because frankly, that’s where my biggest concern lies. Last season was a rollercoaster. We saw flashes of brilliance, like putting up 35 points in a shootout loss to Washington, but also profound struggles, like mustering only 13 against a Minnesota team that wasn’t exactly a defensive juggernaut. The quarterback situation, to be blunt, was unsettled. Payton Thorne has shown he can be a capable leader, but his completion percentage hovering around 62% and the 19-to-10 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season tell a story of inconsistency. The departure of star receiver Jayden Reed to the NFL leaves a massive 55-catch, 1,026-yard hole in the passing game. Who steps up? Keon Coleman is a talent, but can he be the guy? The running back room has names, but the offensive line’s performance—which allowed a middling 2.1 sacks per game—needs to improve to establish any real threat on the ground. An offense without a clear, reliable strength is an offense that can be game-planned against. They need to decide who they are. Are they a power-run team? A spread-it-out, air-raid team? This indecision is a luxury they cannot afford in the Big Ten East.

And speaking of the Big Ten East, my goodness, look at that schedule. It’s an absolute gauntlet. They open with a non-conference game against a Washington team that might be the best in the Pac-12. Then, after what should be a tune-up, they dive headfirst into the deep end: at Iowa, home against a Maryland team that’s no longer a pushover, and then the real meat of it. They host Michigan in what is always an emotionally charged, physically brutal rivalry game. Then, just a week later, they have to travel to Columbus to face Ohio State. Back-to-back games against the two perennial powerhouses and College Football Playoff contenders is a brutal ask for any team, let alone one trying to find its footing. The cumulative physical and mental toll of that two-week stretch could define their entire season. It reminds me of the pressure a team like Tropang 5G faces in a playoff series—the need to adapt strategy on the fly, manage player fatigue, and maintain belief even when the odds are stacked against you. For MSU, surviving October with their confidence intact is a monumental challenge in itself.

Finally, there’s the intangible: expectations. This is where my personal view comes in strongly. I believe managing psychology is just as important as managing a playbook. Two seasons ago, Michigan State was the darling of the sport, an 11-win team that shocked everyone. Last season’s 5-7 regression was a cold splash of reality. Now, the fanbase and the national media are watching to see which team is the real one. Is 2021 the anomaly, or is 2022? This creates an internal pressure cooker. Players feel the need to “prove” themselves every single week, which can lead to tight play and forced errors. Coach Tucker’s massive contract extension, worth a reported $95 million over ten years, also hangs over everything. It’s a vote of confidence that also raises the stakes exponentially. Every loss will be scrutinized through that lens. The team must learn to embrace the target on their back rather than be burdened by it. They need to develop the resilient, forward-looking mindset of an organization that has successfully rebranded—not dwelling on past glories or failures, but focused on executing a new vision for the present. That mental shift is non-negotiable for success.

So, what’s the path forward? From my seat, it’s about simplification and toughness. The offense needs to find one or two things it does exceptionally well and build around that, even if it’s not flashy. The schedule is what it is; they need to target specific winnable games (like Maryland at home) to build momentum before the Michigan-Ohio State crucible. And culturally, they must foster a kind of gritty, us-against-the-world mentality that made them so dangerous in 2021. The challenges for Michigan State this season are significant, perhaps more so than for any other team in the conference trying to break into the elite tier. Their journey mirrors that of any entity in transition: the move from Tropang Giga to Tropang 5G wasn’t just about a new name, it was about evolving to compete in a new era. For the Spartans, the era of being a plucky underdog is over. The challenge now is to prove they belong in the conversation with the giants, week in and week out, and that process begins by conquering the demons within their own locker room and playbook first. I’m cautiously optimistic, but they have very little room to stumble.