What games does Michigan State need to win this season?

Michigan State and coach Jonathan Smith undoubtedly have one of the most challenging schedules in the country. In particular, Michigan State has arguably the most difficult four-game series ahead of it. In five weeks, Michigan State will play two teams that were ranked in the top five in the preseason. Smith and his coaching staff face one of the most daunting schedules in college football, on top of all the other difficulties they’ve had to contend with this offseason.

Smith and Michigan State play two weeks in a row at home against Ohio State, away against Oregon, home against Iowa and away against Michigan. That’s a four-game series that few college football teams would want to play, let alone one in the early stages of a rebuild like Smith and Michigan State.

The four games are a challenge; Smith and Michigan State deserve a free pass for almost anything that happens in that span. Most would agree that Michigan State will likely lose all four games; it’s just a question of how competitive Coach Smith and Michigan State will be during those games.

Even if they lose all four games, Smith and Michigan State would still have a real chance to get to a bowl game this season. However, if they lose all four games, the other games on Michigan State’s schedule become much more important. If Michigan State loses four games in a row, there is almost no room for more losses if it wants to get to a bowl game in Smith’s first season in East Lansing.