College basketball fans have something to talk about at the water cooler this morning, as ESPN released its way-too-early Top 25 rankings following the final wave of NBA Draft decisions and roster announcements across the country.
Now, with rosters as close to finalized as they are going to get for the 2026-27 college basketball season, the first major preseason rankings have arrived, and Michigan State finds itself comfortably inside the top 10 at No. 8.
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The Spartans are the third-highest-ranked Big Ten team, trailing only the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines and No. 4 Illinois Fighting Illini.
Sitting atop the rankings are the defending national champion Florida Gators at No. 1, followed by the Duke Blue Devils at No. 2.
Separating the Big Ten trio are last season’s national runners-up, the UConn Huskies at No. 5, the Tennessee Volunteers at No. 6, and the St. John’s Red Storm at No. 7.
Rounding out the top 10 at No. 9 and No. 10 are the Texas Longhorns and Arizona Wildcats.
Other Big Ten teams appearing in the way-too-early rankings include No. 12 USC and No. 22 Nebraska.
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Interestingly, Michigan State was actually ranked No. 9 in ESPN’s initial projection before moving up one spot following the official announcements that Jeremy Fears Jr. and Anton Bonke would return to East Lansing and forgo the NBA Draft for the time being.
The Spartans are being propped up by something that often gets overlooked in today’s college basketball landscape: experience. The return of five of the team’s top seven players from last season gives Michigan State a roster loaded with chemistry, continuity, and understanding.
Despite losing big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, the Spartans bring back Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Jordan Scott, and Cam Ward. Each player possesses the ability to take over a game in his own way.
Then, when you combine that returning core with the No. 6 recruiting class in the country, it’s easy to understand why national media is buying into Michigan State. The class includes Team USA representatives Jasiah Jervis and Ethan Taylor, along with four-star recruits Julius Avent and Carlos Medlock Jr.
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Put it all together and the formula becomes clear. You have a veteran team still fueled by the disappointment of falling short in the Sweet 16 last season. You add one of the nation’s best recruiting classes. Then you top it off with a massive 7-foot-2 presence in Anton Bonke.
On paper, this Michigan State roster looks every bit like a definitive top-10 team.
Yet, as we all know, teams that look great on paper don’t always become great teams on the court.
That’s where Tom Izzo enters the conversation.
Now in his fourth decade of coaching, Izzo recently described this year’s roster by saying, “Not the most talented roster I’ve ever had, but one of the more complete rosters.”
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Some people may read that quote and assume Izzo is tempering expectations. In reality, today’s college basketball landscape is unlike anything we’ve seen before. Players move from school to school with unprecedented frequency, and veterans are staying in college longer than ever. Building the most talented roster isn’t always the goal. Building the best roster is.
At the same time, anyone familiar with Izzo knows he enjoys finding ways to challenge his players. A seemingly harmless comment about talent can quickly become motivation inside a locker room. The best competitors often hear something like that and immediately look for ways to prove it wrong.
National media clearly understands how dangerous this Michigan State team could be, ranking the Spartans inside the top 10 before the season even begins. That’s a much different story than last year, when Michigan State opened at No. 22 before climbing into the top 10 for much of the season.
This year, however, the spotlight will be brighter from the start.
The expectations are higher.
And with one of the most complete rosters Tom Izzo has had in years, the Spartans will have every opportunity to prove they belong there.
