MSU should win eight
The bottom line is that John L. Smith needs to win seven or eight games to save his job at Michigan State. He’s on the hot seat and he knows it. Reports are that Smith isn’t overly concerned about losing his job. Whether that’s true or not, most fans seem to be concerned about the direction the program is heading.
Todd Schulz of the Lansing State Journal reports that the good news for Smith and MSU fans is that the Spartans should win eight games including victories over Notre Dame and Ohio State.
Smith is past the point of getting credit for coming close against big boys such as Michigan and Ohio State. It’s time to start closing the deal and chalking up victories. Eight is the expectation this season.
Yes, by MSU’s track record, that’s an ambitious number. Just six coaches, including Smith in his debut season, have reached it since 1966. But Michigan State is paying Smith unprecedented dollars to create a new standard of consistent success - not use past failures as a crutch. Besides, with a 12th game, he gets one more swing at the piñata than most of his predecessors.
Eight - which, by the way, gets you fired at some schools - is hardly unreasonable considering this team’s offensive firepower and favorable schedule. Heck, these Spartans should stumble their way to six, which is precisely why that total isn’t adequate to determine Smith’s fate.
Shannon Shelton of the Detroit Free Press also predicts a winning season for Michigan State in her preseason breakdown of MSU’s schedule. She doesn’t think MSU will beat the Buckeyes or the Golden Domers though.
Free Press sports writer Shannon Shelton analyzes and predicts the outcome of each MSU matchup.
Prediction: 7-5