Michigan State is the consensus pick to win the national title going in. And with point guard Cassius Winston and forward Xavier Tillman back to anchor what should be one of the country’s deeper teams (even with Joshua Langford shelved with a foot injury), the Spartans are the top overall seed in The Washington Post’s preseason field of 68.
Over the course of 30-plus games, Michigan State seems like the surest thing. But just remember preseason praise doesn’t always lead to snipped nets on the final day of the season.
No team ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press poll has actually won a national championship since North Carolina in 2009.