10. Michigan State Spartans
Last Week: No. 9
Michigan State is the highest-ranked two-loss team in the nation. But are losses to Kansas and Louisville (both away from home) really all that bad? No. The Spartans might not be off to a superb start this season but they have a few nice wins and have played only three of their eight games at home so far this year. Michigan State has practically lived on the road so far this year and that can be difficult for any team.
Moving forward, five out of Michigan State’s next six games will come at the Breslin Center and the wins should start to pile up. There is a good chance that they are favored in their next six games and they should start to build the resume of a top-10 team in the nation.
As was expected heading into the year, Cassius Winston (17.9 points and 7.1 assists) is leading the way for the Spartans. He is joined by Joshua Langford (17.5 points) and Nick Ward (14.6 points) in double-figures. Additionally, Matt McQuaid, despite averaging just 7.7 points per game, is one of the most undervalued players in the nation due to his superb defensive play. The 6-foot-5 senior is a real 3-and-D threat at the college level.