Back to Rankings
Big Ten

Michigan State

2026 Season Performance

#79
Rank
2-4
Record
2.8
Points
0.803
SOS

Current Form

L4 streak
COLD
Last 3 0-3
Last 5 1-4

Key Games

Best W vs #93 Eastern Michigan 35-7
Worst L vs #112 Illinois 37-38

Record Splits

Home 2-2
Away 0-2
Conference 0-3
Non-Conf 2-1
Close (7 pts or less) 0-1

Remaining Schedule

Opponent ranks are today’s and will move
6
games left
#59.8
avg opponent rank
#6
toughest left
69.4
pts if they win out
Week
Opponent
Win worth
7
10-17
vs
#35 Northwestern
4-1
+10.34
8
10-24
@
#6 UCLA
5-0
+17.36
10
11-07
@
#56 Michigan
3-2
+14.16
11
11-14
vs
#102 Washington
3-3
+7.48
12
11-21
vs
#34 Oregon
3-2
+10.38
13
11-28
@
#126 Rutgers
1-4
+9.68

“Win worth” is base points scaled by location and the opponent’s current strength. It excludes margin and quality-win bonuses, which depend on a result that hasn’t happened.

Rank Progression

#20
#38
#56
#74
#93
Pre
#83
W3
#33
W6
#79
W9
#71
W12
#80
W15
#79

Season Breakdown

Hover Wk 15 pts for details
Week
Game
Score
Wk 6
Wk 15
Diff
1
09/05
W
NR vs #48 Toledo
30-20
+13.4
+11.5
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
+0.3 9.3
Margin Scaling
+2.2 11.5
Against the Spread (-10, +0)
+0.0 11.5
Total 11.5 pts
-1.9
2
09/12
W
#33 vs #93 Eastern Michigan
35-7
+14.7
+15.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
-0.4 8.6
Margin Scaling
+3.9 12.5
Against the Spread (-17.5, +10.5)
+2.6 15.1
Total 15.1 pts
+0.4
3
09/19
L
#25 @ #8 Notre Dame
10-27
-1.7
-2.5
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+2.4 -3.6
Loss Record Modifier
+1.3 -2.3
Margin Scaling
-2.3 -4.6
Recency Weighting
-0.8 -5.5
Against the Spread (+28.75, +11.75)
+2.9 -2.5
Total -2.5 pts
-0.9
4
09/26
L
#33 vs #27 Nebraska
13-31
-9.1
-10.5
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+5.2 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.3 -3.9
Margin Scaling
-2.5 -6.4
Recency Weighting
-1.1 -7.5
Against the Spread (+6, -12)
-3.0 -10.5
Total -10.5 pts
-1.5
5
10/03
L
#56 @ #11 Wisconsin
3-31
-8.5
-9.4
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.0 -3.0
Loss Record Modifier
+0.7 -2.3
Margin Scaling
-3.1 -5.4
Recency Weighting
-1.0 -6.4
Against the Spread (+8.75, -19.25)
-3.0 -9.4
Total -9.4 pts
-0.9
6
10/10
L
#70 vs #112 Illinois
37-38 OT
-9.1
-8.6
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+2.8 -7.6
Loss Record Modifier
+0.3 -7.3
Margin Scaling
-0.3 -7.6
Recency Weighting
-1.4 -9.0
Against the Spread (+2.5, +1.5)
+0.4 -8.6
Total -8.6 pts
+0.5
Total
2-4 Record
-0.2
-4.4
-4.2

All-Time Summary (2016-2026)

11
Seasons
57-64
Record
47%
Win Rate
#56
Avg Rank
#2
Best Rank
0.857
Avg SOS

Final Rank by Season

#1
#34
#67
#100
#134
2016
#97
2017
#9
2018
#18
2019
#41
2020
#44
2021
#9
2022
#55
2023
#92
2024
#74
2025
#98
2026
#79

Season-by-Season Breakdown

Year Conference Record Final Rank Best Rank Points SOS Champion
2026 Big Ten 2-4 (33%) #79 #25 0.2 0.804 -
2025 Big Ten 4-8 (33%) #98 #14 -16.5 0.826 -
2024 Big Ten 5-7 (42%) #74 #2 24.0 0.852 -
2023 Big Ten 4-8 (33%) #92 #35 -11.5 0.857 -
2022 Big Ten 5-7 (42%) #55 #19 51.2 0.849 -
2021 Big Ten 10-2 (83%) #9 #3 193.1 0.804 -
2020 Big Ten 2-5 (29%) #44 #13 33.4 1.036 -
2019 Big Ten 6-6 (50%) #41 #9 55.9 0.833 -
2018 Big Ten 7-5 (58%) #18 #8 135.9 0.847 -
2017 Big Ten 9-3 (75%) #9 #5 206.5 0.869 -
2016 Big Ten 3-9 (25%) #97 #28 -34.0 0.853 -