This is an opinion piece from MLive.com reporter Matt Wenzel
A little more than a week before Michigan State kicked off the 2017 season, the team hosted its annual "Meet the Spartans" event.
It was an easy opportunity to gauge expectations, so I roamed around Spartan Stadium and talked to fans. Most had modest outlooks for the season, while a few others predicted double-digit wins and a Big Ten championship.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
Michigan State was coming off a 3-9 season, its worst since 1982, and had unproven players at nearly every position.