Why will Michigan State reclaim the Big Ten?
Jeremy Fears Jr.
That’s it. That’s the reason.
That’s the entire article.
Okay, maybe it’ll take more than one man, but Fears being the quarterback of this team is going to be the biggest reason why the Spartans reclaim the Big Ten.
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You may not like him. You may not respect him. Yet Fears is poised to have one of, if not the most, essential seasons in recent Michigan State basketball history.
If that sentence feels like the beginning of an article from the 2010s, that’s because, for the first time since Cassius Winston, Michigan State has a player capable of representing the entire conference as its best player.
Not only does that feel like a throwback, it may also send a ripple of goosebumps through some Spartan fans. Those kinds of expectations haven’t exactly been kind to Michigan State over the last several years. Outside of Michigan fans celebrating national championships in football and basketball recently, it’s been far more doom and gloom for Spartan fans and Detroit sports fans alike.
Setting sky-high expectations can be dangerous. Fans begin believing in something they normally wouldn’t, and when those expectations fall flat—whether the team loses or a player doesn’t live up to the hype—that feeling of disappointment takes over like the symbiote taking over Eddie Brock and becoming Venom.
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Instead, many Michigan State fans have adopted the famous quote from Spider-Man: Brand New Day: “Expect disappointment and you’ll never be disappointed.”
That mindset has echoed throughout the fan base ever since the Spartans’ Final Four run before COVID. Since then, heartbreak has become all too familiar.
But this season feels different.
Those feelings of doubt should be pushed aside because, for the first time in what feels like forever, Michigan State’s leader enters the season carrying enormous expectations—and he looks ready to deliver. Jimmy John’s freaky fast.
Now, is Fears the only reason Michigan State is going to win the Big Ten?
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Not at all.
The supporting cast is poised to become one of the most talented rosters assembled during Tom Izzo’s tenure. That’s a bold statement, and I don’t necessarily believe they’ll perform like one of the greatest teams in school history this season. Young players are still young players, and sometimes they don’t know how to slow the game down when it matters most.
That youth could ultimately become this team’s Achilles’ heel.
While the starting lineup features experienced players like Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, and Anton Bonke, it’s the youth throughout the rotation that will determine just how far this team can go. By March, that depth could either become the Spartans’ greatest strength or a group that struggles under the brightest lights.
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Michigan State welcomes four talented freshmen, including Jasiah Jervis and Ethan Taylor, who will both be pushing for major minutes—and potentially even starting roles.
Then there are Cam Ward and Jordan Scott, two players who now have a full year of college basketball behind them but still possess tremendous upside.
The Spartans have one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the country. In fact, a few years from now, we may look back at this 2026-27 team and realize just how many NBA Draft picks—and high draft picks—were on the roster.
This team is going to be physical. It’s going to defend. It’s going to rebound. And most importantly, it’s going to compete.
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The biggest challengers for the conference crown will likely be Illinois and Michigan. Illinois has landed ahead of Michigan State in most way-too-early preseason rankings, while Michigan sits right alongside the Spartans in many projections.
But preseason rankings don’t win championships.
If Michigan State controls the glass, wins the free-throw battle, and gets the perimeter shooting boost many expect from its incoming freshmen, the Spartans will put themselves in position to reclaim the Big Ten title.
After watching Michigan capture the conference last season, don’t be surprised if the trophy finds its way back to East Lansing.
