Former Spartan Says MSU Runs The State And The Big Ten

It's an odd comment given the fact that the Michigan Wolverines are the defending Big Ten Champions, but one former Spartan seems to believe that Michigan State runs the Big Ten conference.

There are typically two things you can count on each and every single day. The first is that the sun will rise, the second is that an awful sports take will emerge from somewhere within Michigan State fan base - or in this case, one of its former players. 

As U-M and MSU fans exchanged jabs over the Spartans new Peach Bowl rings and the rivalry in general, some former players also jumped into the fight - including former Wolverine Braylon Edwards and former Spartan Jeremy Langford. 

F O O L I S H N E S S!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/JHrXcgzUOd

— Braylon Edwards (@OfficialBraylon) May 6, 2022

"This is the problem I have with Michigan State," Edwards said. "They have such a hard-on for Michigan. It's such an inferiority complex that they have. You're playing in the Peach Bowl and you put up the score of Michigan when you played and beat them in October, 33-37 - which really didn't mean anything anyway because Michigan still won the Big Ten and you're playing in the Peach Bowl. Why are you so worried about Michigan? You know what score would actually have been better on that ring? It's 40-29. You know what that score is? That's the Purdue score the following week. You beat Michigan like you do all the time and what happens in the next game? You lose because Michigan is the only game that matters to you. You're so focused on the in-state that you can't get to the national scene. There's one school in the state of Michigan that's focused on the national scene - they don't always get there - that's the University of Michigan. That's their mindset, it's national championship or bust."

The response from Edwards prompted former Spartan, Jeremy Langford, to make one of the most ridiculous claims you'll see this year.

The state and the Big Ten

— Jeremy Langford (@JeremyLangford) May 6, 2022

After questioning why Edwards seemed so angry about the rings, Langford then went on to suggest that the Spartans not only run the state of Michigan, but the entire Big Ten conference as well. 

For real?

Since 2000, the Michigan State Spartans have captured a grand total of three Big Ten championships ('10, '13, '15). Ironically enough, the Michigan Wolverines have also captured three Big Ten titles during that same span ('03, '04, '21). As far as the head-to-head is concerned, both Michigan and Michigan State have the same record against each other since 2000 (11-11).

I'm not sure what Langford is using for his frame of reference but he certainly isn't using the Big Ten record books. If he was, he'd quickly realize that - as much as I hate to say it - the Ohio State Buckeyes currently run the Big Ten conference and it really isn't even close. The Buckeyes have notched 11 conference championships since 2000, more than three times the amount of the next closest program. The Buckeyes have also claimed two national championships during that same span, a feat that no other program within the conference can claim. 

So while Langford appears content with the misguided belief that the Spartans somehow run the Big Ten conference, reality says otherwise.