Michigan State Football: Can the Spartans Make a Trip to the BCS This Season?

In a state dominated by the Wolverines in Ann Arbor and conference with the likes of Ohio State, Penn State and Nebraska, the Spartans are a serious BCS contender that goes under the radar when talking about the major program this season.

With Michigan State taking on Notre Dame today, the team can continue their good start with a solid win moving the team to 3-0 on the 2011 season.

The defense has been a beast so far this season, only allowing three points a game and holding Florida Atlantic to a single first down last week in East Lansing.

Senior Kurt Cousins has been a very strong play caller at the quarterback position this season. He’s thrown for more than 400 yards and three touchdowns in addition to no turnovers in 2011.

On the ground, the running back duo Edwin Baker and Le’Veon Bell are a two headed monster for Coach Mark Dantonio combining for 250 yards and five touchdowns.

With Baker and Bell being a good option for Michigan State, the passing and running game will need to be respected during the rest of the Spartans schedule this season.

The Spartans will have a big test in two weeks, as the team will travel to Columbus to faceoff with the Ohio State Buckeyes—a team Michigan State didn’t have to face last season on their path to an 11-1 season.

After the Buckeyes game, Michigan State will host new Big Ten member Nebraska at home in late October that could determine the representative of the Legends division this season.

While the aforementioned games will be tough, the remaining games beyond Nebraska like Iowa and Northwestern will present challenges that could upend the Spartans path to the BCS.

Can the Spartans make the BCS this season as a dark horse contender from the Big Ten? Absolutely.

More importantly, will the Spartans be able to make the BCS? If Michigan State can defeat the Buckeyes and Cornhuskers, you might see Sparty running up and down the sideline in January.

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