MSU to CFP? Popular podcast lists Spartans as dark horse playoff team in 2026

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Could Michigan State football be this year's surprising team to crash the College Football Playoff? That was a question recently debated on a popular Big Ten podcast.

Of the 15 teams that didn't make the College Football Playoff from the Big Ten this past season, Michigan State was pegged as one of a few teams to watch out for this upcoming season. The Big Ten Huddle podcast hosts put together their dueling lists of top five teams most likely from the Big Ten to reach the College Football Playoff that didn't in 2025, and one of the hosts had the Spartans in the mix.

Zack Guggenheim put Michigan State as his No. 5 ranked team from the league with the best chances to jump all the way from missing a bowl game to the College Football Playoff next season. Guggenheim cited an "easier" schedule and improved coaching as his reasoning on why he feels the Spartans could make this wild turnaround in 2026.

"As I thought through the top five, I felt schedule really matters, I think even more than anything else, even more than talent, and then do I trust your coaching staff," Guggenheim said during the podcast. "The other thing you have to understand is that we are taking Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana out of that, and I think that we would all agree that they are all at least heavy favorites to make the playoff next year. Regardless if they do or not, all three are viewed as playoff caliber teams again next year. So, a question you have to ask is A) are you good enough to beat those teams or (B)) do you not play those teams, that's a big deal. Michigan State only plays one of them. … If Michigan State can get things turned around, which I think Pat Fitzgerald can do, (then) they have an outside shot."

Guggenheim went on to say "I don't love their chances" but he could see the Spartans finding their way to a 10-2 season with Fitzgerald steering the ship.

Jon "JR" Rhoades didn't have the Spartans in his list, but said he could see where Guggenheim was "coming from with the schedule" but noted that the November slate is tough: at Michigan, Washington and Oregon all in a row. On top of that tough stretch, Rhoades pointed out Michigan State would, of course, need to win all of their "toss-up" games to get to 10-2 on the year and be in position to reach the College Football Playoff. Rhoades simply isn't confident in the Spartans' ability to do that, hence why he didn't include Michigan State on his list.

Michigan State is coming off four straight years of losing seasons, and in search of reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2021. The Spartans, though, were active in the transfer portal and under new coaching could certainly see a notable bump this upcoming season. I personally wouldn't go as far as saying the College Football Playoff is really in play, but, hey, who knows these days, and I certainly hope Guggenheim is right this fall.

You can see the full Big Ten Huddle episode embedded below, with the discussion around the Spartans starting around the six-minute mark of the episode:

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Popular podcast puts MSU as dark horse team to reach College Football Playoff in 2026

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