Michigan State Has the 15th-Oldest Team in College Football: Can Experience Fuel a Turnaround?

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The only constant in life is change.

In East Lansing, the football program experienced more change this offseason than anyone originally anticipated. But with that change comes a new core of players ready to buy in.

College football, once one of the most predictable sports, has now become a game where year after year, the improbable seems more and more possible. Last season, the Indiana Hoosiers — a team few believed had a legitimate shot at a national championship — not only won the title but went undefeated in the process. That provided hope for every program in Division I football because it proved that if you have the right coach and the right players buying into the same vision, any team can become a contender on any given Saturday.

The change in East Lansing started at the top as the calendar flipped to a new year. Former head coach Jonathan Smith was out, and new head coach Pat Fitzgerald was in. From there, the changes only continued.

More than 40 Spartans entered the transfer portal and left the program. In response, Michigan State added nearly 30 players of its own through the portal, essentially flipping the entire roster while keeping only a skeleton crew of returning Spartans who weren't ready to give up on the program they committed to.

With the roster overhaul complete, the Spartans now have an influx of transfer players expected to step directly into pivotal roles on a Big Ten team searching for a new identity. So how do you flip a team that won just one conference game last season? You add experience. That's exactly what the coaching staff prioritized.

It almost feels as if Fitzgerald and his staff knew this season would be a whirlwind regardless of the circumstances, so they targeted players with experience—not only players capable of stepping under the bright lights immediately, but veterans who could also help guide the younger talent just beginning their college careers.

It takes an entire unit to become a team. Everyone has to buy into the same game plan, and teams are only as strong as their weakest link. With the amount of turnover Michigan State experienced, bringing in experienced leaders became just as important as adding talented football players. Those veterans can help make sure the ship gets on course and stays there.

With experience naturally comes age, and for that reason, Michigan State enters the season as the 15th-oldest team in all of Division I college football, according to College Football Zone.

Even more impressive, Michigan State is the only Big Ten program to appear among the nation's 25 oldest teams.

The list is as follows:

1. UTSA (Roadrunners)

2. North Texas (Mean Green)

3. Utah State (Aggies)

T4. Florida Atlantic (Owls)

T4. Navy (Midshipmen) 

T4. Oregon State (Beavers)

T4. UAB (Blazers)

8. Washington State (Cougars)

T9. Oklahoma State (Cowboys)

T9. Air Force (Falcons)

11. San Diego State (Aztecs)

12. California (Golden Bears)

13. UCF (Knights)

14. Fresno State (Bulldogs)

15. Michigan State (Spartans)

T16. Colorado (Buffaloes)

T16. Kansas (Jayhawks)

T16. Virginia (Cavaliers)

19. Baylor (Bears)

20. South Florida (Bulls)

T21. ULM (Warhawks)

T21. Stanford (Cardinal)

23. East Carolina (Pirates)

24. Marshall (Thundering Herd)

25. New Mexico State (Aggies)

Last season, one of the biggest storylines surrounding Indiana's championship run and undefeated season was the amount of experienced players it brought in. The Hoosiers were loaded with upperclassmen playing in their final year of eligibility, creating what many viewed as a college football super team made up of players other programs had overlooked.

With that in mind, it's easy to see why some Michigan State fans believe the Spartans could make a dramatic turnaround in 2026.

Now, does having one of the oldest rosters in college football automatically make Michigan State a national championship contender? Of course not. Experience alone doesn't win football games.

However, what it does provide is a roster filled with players who have seen college football at its highest level. They've been through adversity, understand what it takes to prepare each week, and can help stabilize a team undergoing massive change. If Fitzgerald and his coaching staff can get everyone pulling in the same direction, this experienced group has the potential to make plenty of noise in the Big Ten.

Michigan State currently features four graduate students, 26 seniors, and 15 juniors—a total of 45 upperclassmen—alongside 60 underclassmen.

It will be an entirely different Spartans team taking the field this season, but it will also be one of the most experienced. Whether that translates into wins remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the Big Ten may not be ready for what this veteran group is capable of.

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