MSU Disrespected Compared to Other Undefeated Teams in CFB

Through three games, Michigan State and head coach Jonathan Smith are exactly where every team ever would want to be: 3-0. The Spartans are just one of 39 FBS teams without a blemish on their record to this point.

In a Monday article written by ESPN's Bill Connelly, he ranks all 38 other undefeated teams above MSU.

Why?

Michigan State's Omari Kelly runs with the ball against Youngstown State during the fourth quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A lot of it has to do with the fact that ESPN's two computer metric systems, SP+ and FPI, are both quite low on Michigan State. SP+ considers the Spartans to be the 58th-best team in the FBS --- regardless of win-loss record --- and FPI has them at 69th. MSU's SP+ ranking is the fourth-worst among undefeateds and the FPI mark is dead last.

Those low marks are evident in FPI's future projections for the Spartans; it only gives MSU a 42.6% chance of reaching the bowl game and has Michigan State as the underdog in eight of its nine Big Ten games.

Even then, a couple of the teams Connelly put ahead of MSU might be a little bit disrespectful.

37th in the undefeated rankings is North Texas. The Mean Green did just beat up on Washington State 59-10, but they actually share a common opponent with the Spartans: Western Michigan. Now, MSU didn't exactly dominate the Broncos, but that game wasn't exactly ever in doubt. UNT, on the other hand, trailed by as much as 14 in Kalamazoo and needed overtime to eventually win it.

UNLV?

What is probably even worse is the ranking of UNLV ahead of Michigan State. Back in Week 1, the Rebels trailed to FCS Idaho State during the fourth quarter. MSU didn't demolish FCS Youngstown State either, but it wasn't remotely that dramatic. Furthermore, ESPN's own SP+ ranks YSU as the 15th-best FCS team, while Idaho State is considered worse than three different Division II schools from Michigan alone (Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Michigan Tech).

Oh, they also beat Sam Houston State (also ranked by SP+ below Youngstown State) by 17 and UCLA by three. UNLV's three opponents are all 0-3 this season.

Thinking that Michigan State is one of the worst undefeated teams remaining is fine. If it were me making that list, the Spartans would be right near the bottom again, perhaps 36th or 37th. But given that the Spartans have had two low-drama games against lesser opponents and a win against another power conference foe, there really isn't a reason to consider them the worst 3-0 team in the country.

Michigan State's Brandon Tullis runs for a gain against Youngstown State during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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