Michigan State Lands at No. 6 in AP Preseason Poll

Michigan State enters the 2026-27 season with some of the highest expectations the program has faced in quite a while. After years of falling short of the Final Four, Tom Izzo and the Spartans have another opportunity to make a deep tournament run, this time with the ultimate prize potentially waiting in their home state.

The 2027 Final Four will be held at Ford Field in Detroit, with the Elite Eight taking place at Little Caesars Arena. If Michigan State can punch its ticket to the Final Four, it could have a chance to finish its season just down the road from East Lansing.

Of course, there's a long way to go before March, and the Spartans still have a season to play.

Michigan State has two exhibition games against UConn and Marquette to close out October before opening the regular season in early November. With college basketball getting underway, college hockey already in action and college football more than halfway through its season, the final two months of 2026 are going to fly by. Spartans fans should settle in, enjoy the ride and try not to overreact.

Michigan State men's basketball enters the season ranked No. 6 in the AP Preseason Poll, making the Spartans the second-highest-ranked Big Ten team. Illinois leads the conference at No. 3.

The top five consists of No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Illinois, No. 4 UConn and No. 5 Arizona. Michigan State will face three of those teams this season, beginning with a matchup against No. 4 UConn in an exhibition game on Tuesday.

The Spartans will face No. 2 Duke early in the regular season, just four days after the Michigan State football team takes on its in-state rival, Michigan. That stretch could make for one of the most nerve-racking four-day periods of the year for Spartans fans.

Then, in February, Michigan State will travel to Champaign, Illinois, to face the Fighting Illini. The two teams met at the Breslin Center last season, with the Spartans coming away with an overtime victory.

Michigan State faces a gauntlet of a nonconference schedule before turning its attention to the Big Ten slate. There won't be much room to breathe, and with the Spartans earning the No. 6 spot in the preseason poll, the target on their backs will be even bigger.

Fortunately, Michigan State has plenty of talent to help shoulder those expectations. The Spartans are led by preseason player of the year favorite Jeremy Fears Jr., alongside one of the most electrifying players in college basketball, Coen Carr. With a roster blending experienced veterans and newcomers, Michigan State will look to reestablish the fear that has long accompanied the Spartans name.

Last season, Michigan State entered the year ranked No. 22 in the AP Preseason Poll. This time around, the Spartans begin at No. 6.

The expectations are higher, the schedule is challenging and the spotlight will be brighter. But preseason rankings only mean so much. The real test comes in March, when the games matter most.