Michigan State football: Bowl projections heading into Purdue game

Michigan State football is sitting at 4-6 with just two games remaining which means that Jonathan Smith and the Spartans must win out if they want to make it to the postseason for the first time since 2021.

It’s hard to believe that this team is in this position right now after going 5-7 in 2022 and 4-8 last season and especially after beginning the year 3-0 under a new staff. The Spartans probably should’ve beaten Boston College on the road, dropped the ball against Michigan in Ann Arbor, and let the Illinois and Indiana games get out of hand. Realistically, this team should be, at worst, 5-5 right now.

But we don’t live in a hypothetical world. We live in reality. And the reality is that Michigan State just hasn’t been very good this year.

And yet there’s still a chance the Spartans make the postseason with home games against Purdue and Rutgers to finish the season. Win both of those games and they’re in. Lose one and they’re out. It’s a tough spot to be, but we’re about to find out just how mentally tough this team is.

Aidan Chiles and Co. will look to step up offensively after putting up just 17 points in a loss to Michigan, 10 points in a loss to Indiana, and 16 points in a loss to Illinois after scoring over 30 on Iowa a month ago. If the offense figures it out in these final two games, I feel good about the bowl chances.

Right now, Michigan State is on the outside looking in, but some experts are projecting the Spartans to win out.

Here are the bowl projections ahead of Michigan State’s battle with Purdue:

ESPN: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Ohio
CBS Sports: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Miami (OH)
Bleacher Report: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Toledo
Athlon Sports: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Toledo
247Sports: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Eastern Michigan
The Action Network: GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26) — vs. Buffalo

As you can see, every major site (outside of Sports Illustrated which has the Spartans missing a bowl) has Michigan State football making the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26. Yes, this is the former Little Caesars and Quick Lane Bowl.

The opponent? Anyone from Ohio to Miami (OH) to Toledo to Eastern Michigan to Buffalo. It’s weird to have so many MAC options this late in the process, but that’s how up-in-the-air this whole bid is.