ESPN: Best team in Big Ten poll includes Sparty?!?

Submitted by Logan88 on

I was just perusing the ESPN college football page and noticed a fan poll regarding which is the best team in the Big 10. The usual suspects were there: OSU, PSU, Iowa and Wisconsin. But a fifth team was present in this poll....MSU. Wait. What? MSU?!? WTF?!?

The most amazing thing was that MSU actually got votes from voters outside of the state of Michigan! Had to be Sparty alums in those states, right?

A side note: it was interesting to see how the states with teams represented in the poll voted. Iowa fans were the most delusional as 73% voted for Iowa, Wisconsin was a little more reasonable as only 59% voted for Wiscy while only 33% of the voters from Pennsylvania voted for PSU. Seems like the voters in the Keystone state win the award for most rational fans as they are clued in to the fact that PSU isn't going to be that good in 2010.

Link:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/

maizenbluenc

May 6th, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^

Two or three families of them right in my neighborhood. First few years they avoided me in football season - the last two they've been sure to seek me out.

There is even an out of state tution / scholarship program of some type for legacy Spartan spawn. Apparently they can apply, and only have to pay (themselves) the in state tuition rate.

Haven't seen any couch burnings or ski masks though ...

Raback Omaba

May 6th, 2010 at 8:40 AM ^

Polls means nothing....that poll includes almost half of the Big Ten, so a few mediocre or border line teams are bound to be on it. Michigan State being one of them is no surprise, they could very well be the best team in the Big Ten. I highly doubt it though.

It's good to see that we're getting no respect out there, because frankly, we don't deserve it. I'd rather have our guys go out there with a chip on their shoulders than analyst's putting us "in the mix" just because of our program name.

Our boys will challenge OSU for the Big Ten Championship this year, mark my word.

aaamichfan

May 6th, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^

Agree with everything in your post except, "Michigan State being one of them is no surprise, they could very well be the best team in the Big Ten." 

 

Due to a very easy schedule, there is a .01% chance of them winning the Big10.......but there is absolutely no way they are the best team.

Tater

May 6th, 2010 at 8:41 AM ^

Most of the national guys use regional media to help them make decisions on ratings.  When you have instate Michigan media constantly trying to prop up Sparty while simuleaneously trying to stir the pot at Michigan, people who see things on a superficial level end up thinking that MSU has a better program than UM

I have a feeling that their inaccurate perception will be "fixed" for them this October. 

West Texas Blue

May 6th, 2010 at 8:55 AM ^

Why do M fans care about MSU? We dismiss them casually yet there are a million threads about them on this board. I'd sacrifice all my MGoPoints for no more MSU posts. If MSU is irrevelant, then treat them that way by not talking about them.

aaamichfan

May 6th, 2010 at 9:25 AM ^

I have no idea how, but some Michigan fans have started to believe the unwarranted Sparty bloviation. People need to step back and remember that they were a 6-7 team, and likely are worse this year than last.

 

Keep your eyes on the Ohio State prize.

FreetheFabFive

May 6th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^

Well, if you're living outside the state you probably don't care about Sparty...

I have lived in Michigan for 26 years and I come across Sparty every single day.  Friendly jabs between Wolverines and Sparty happen every day.  I ran into Sparty at a party a couple weekends ago and we were giving jabs back and forth.  It's pretty much as common as going to Florida and hearing FSU/Miami/UF jabs every day.  It happens. 

The majority of Sparty comments are most likely from people living in the state.

WolvinLA2

May 7th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^

It's not like FSU/Miami/UF jabs.  All three of those teams are very solid programs over the last 20 years and all have multiple national championships over that span.  It is a legitimate debate in Florida over who is the better team/program.  Lately it's been UF, but before that it was Miami, and before that it was FSU, and all three have been good over that time.  

This is not the case with UM-MSU.  MSU has beaten us, sure, but they've almost never been nationally relevant and haven't challenged for a national title since the 60's.  

FreetheFabFive

May 7th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^

I didn't say it was a legitimate debate in Michigan.  I said hearing MSU/UofM jabs every day in Michigan is as common as hearing FSU/UM/UF jabs in Florida. 

The original comment I was responding to was why Michigan fans care about State.  Again, if you're not living in the state of Michigan, you wouldn't understand.  It happens every single day. 

RONick

May 6th, 2010 at 9:16 AM ^

Well, ya, of course.  They were a 6-7 ball club (bowl game!!!) last year that brings back 12 (that's over half!) starters.  Rationally looking at it, this could be a banner year for MSU.  With that feather bed soft schedule, they could potentially get to 9 wins this year...

blueloosh

May 6th, 2010 at 10:09 AM ^

If ESPN wanted a 5 team poll, what other team would you suggest as the fifth?  They're not an irrational choice to round out the field.

I don't think ESPN is saying MSU is arguably the best team; they're providing choices.  An OSU/Iowa poll would have been boring.

Yinka Double Dare

May 6th, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^

Exactly.  It's really a two or three team poll for who the best team is (Wisco should be pretty darn good) and they tossed in PSU and MSU to round out the poll.  PSU has no idea who its QB will be and MSU lost Blair White and can't defend the pass.  No one really believes either are the best, but they're currently the best candidates for 4th, at least until Michigan shows it actually has a defense.  Which obviously isn't something that is going to happen in the preseason.

artds

May 6th, 2010 at 11:15 AM ^

MSU's unimpressive victories over the two worst Michigan squads in school history have completely deluded people. 

Everyone seems to have forgotten about MSU's losing record last year, their (3rd-straight) bowl loss to a team that lacked both a coach and starting QB, and the loss to CMU that came just days after the MSU athletic department decided it would be a good idea to extend Mark Dantonio's contract through the middle of the century.

Once MSU posts another losing record this year (including a loss at the Big House), people will start re-evaluate Dantonio as a coach and really look at what he's done thus far, which isn't much (save for helping a dozen or so of his players navigate their way through the State of Michigan's criminal justice system).

PhillipFulmersPants

May 6th, 2010 at 11:42 AM ^

has going for him are things he hasn't done:

  1. Hasn't bludgeoned his forehead repeatedly with the heel of his palm during a press conference
  2. Hasn't somberly answered "I don't know" the question: "Have you lost control of this team?"

He's came in on the heels of two complete disaster coaches, so he was walking into a situation where the honeymoon was going to be longer than most if he just acted like a coach.  For the most part, he has by talking a good game. Beating Michigan twice has earned him a ton of goodwill with their fans. So has some high profile recruit signings.

But I'm with you -- if they underachieve with the schedule set up like it is, I think it will start to dawn on MSU fans that he's probably not going to do what Nick Saban did there. At some point he's got to prove he can coach and compete for a B10 title, not just appear more competent than Bobby Williams or John L. Smith.

Oaktown Wolverine

May 6th, 2010 at 11:25 AM ^

After being forced to walk out at a wedding rehearsal dinner of a sparty friend, when the entertainment, a barbershop quartet, started singing the sparty fight song (who knew it had words!) I am done tolerating any more sparty posts. -1 to you sir!

Seth

May 6th, 2010 at 11:44 AM ^

It damn right has words. I even took the time to write them down once:

Up above the old Red Cedar
There's a team that's known for Fail
Won't find them on Heisman lists
Because most are stuck in jail

Blow right through ol' M.S.U.
Watch our lead keep growing
Spartan teams are bound to lose
And what the fucks a "Vim?"
(like they'd know)

See their defense transferring,
as couches burst in flame
Fight! Fight! Call it a "Fight!"
Another loss for M.S.U.

Tha Stunna

May 6th, 2010 at 5:26 PM ^

My favorite part of that poll was the color scheme.  MSU was red, Ohio State was green.  Iowa was blue, and Penn State was gold.  The best part of that was hot pink for Wisconsin.

I'm not sure why Penn State is polling ahead of Wisconsin.  I could easily see them at 8-9 wins this year; think 2006-2007, except with a freshman instead of a junior (who was admittedly Morelli, but we've realized by now that there are much worse quarterbacks than Morelli).