At the beginning, Mel Tucker could have begged for patience and made excuses. Tucker was an emergency hire as the Michigan State head coach in February 2020. Long time coach Mark Dantonio retired somewhat under fire. Certainly, Dantonio left the program in a bad spot. Recruiting was down, and the record was uninspiring. Michigan State was mired in mediocrity with the college football odds. Tucker did not inherit much of a roster. Also, he took over a program with poor morale and a boring style of play. Not much was expected when Tucker was announced to the media.
Michigan State Spartans Future Odds at SBG
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| To win the National Championship | +12400 |
| To win the Big Ten Conference Championship | +2700 |
| Over/Under Win Total | 7.5 |
2022 Michigan State Spartans – SBG Odds Analysis
Second fiddle to the Michigan Wolverines has long been Michigan State’s lot in life. The Spartans are consistently overlooked as the “other” sports betting choice in the Wolverine State.
As a result of its second class status, Michigan State has always had a chip on its shoulder. Dantonio masterfully used that as a motivational tool during his time at MSU. And it did create a hard-nosed attitude for the Spartans.
Thanks to Tucker’s recent efforts, Michigan State is showing strong betting value. A great example of how they can surprise is when they powered past hated Michigan in one of the most memorable games of the 2021 season.
Tucker’s No Nonsense Demands Spark Resurgence
Instead of begging for time and mercy, Mel Tucker demanded that his team get better. The turnaround of Michigan State has been one of the great stories in college football. Last year the Spartans lost only two games to the College football betting odds. Michigan State went 10-2 straight up and defeated the Atlantic Coast Conference champion Pitt Panthers in the Peach Bowl.
Tucker’s leadership has been the difference. He does not allow for concessions or excuses. He is demanding and relentless. Further, no coach has been better at utilizing the transfer portal. In a similar way, Tucker used the new NIL rules to dominate recruiting. Michigan State has Michigan scrambling on the recruiting trail. Michigan is plodding on the NIL issue. In contrast, the Spartans are setting a national standard.
In turn, there is significant cause to believe that Michigan State is set for a strong future. MSU donors are stepping up with record setting amounts of cash. And they made sure that Tucker would not get away by paying for a massive raise and extension.
The Spartans have a tough schedule this year, but the fearlessness to meet it. Home games against Ohio State and Wisconsin will be difficult. But MSU fans won’t make it easy on the Buckeyes and Badgers. Games at Michigan and Penn State will test the Tucker program to the max. Namely, Payton Thorne returns as a proven winner at quarterback. That could be the difference.
2022 Michigan State Spartans Schedule
- Sep 2: Western Michigan Broncos
- Sep 10: Akron Zips
- Sep 17: at Washington Huskies
- Sep 24: Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Oct 1: at Maryland Terrapins
- Oct 8: Ohio State Buckeyes
- Oct 15: Wisconsin Badgers
- Oct 22: BYE
- Oct 29: at Michigan Wolverines
- Nov 5: at Illinois Fighting Illini
- Nov 12: Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Nov 19: Indiana Hoosiers
- Nov 26: at Penn State Nittany Lions