EAST LANSING — In a span of three months last year, Michigan State went from a downtrodden afterthought to right back in the thick of the Big Ten title hunt.
The 12th-ranked Spartans are now back among the trendy picks to win a league championship, and perhaps more.
MSU has a favorable schedule with most of its marquee games at home. There is a tough early visit to Arizona State in the September desert heat. There also is the potential winner-takes-all trip to Penn State that could decide the Big Ten East Division champion. MSU gets Michigan and Ohio State at home and avoids West Division-favorite Wisconsin — again.