Seven games into the 2025-26 Michigan State basketball season, expectations have already been exceeded. Tom Izzo has the Spartans cruising right now, picking up three ranked wins to begin the year, and when the gauntlet of a non-conference schedule was announced, no one expected them to go undefeated until December.
There's one more team standing in Michigan State's way of a perfect record against ranked non-conference opponents, and it's a big one: Duke.
The Blue Devils are arguably the best team in college basketball, and if you go by national title odds, Duke is the team to beat -- along with Michigan, Houston, and Purdue.
However, Michigan State isn't that far behind.
In fact, Plymarket bettors came up with percentage odds to win the 2026 national title, and Michigan State has the ninth-best chance to win it all.
As you can see, the Big Ten is absolutely loaded with four teams in the top nine in terms of highest percentage chance to win the national title through the month of November's action. There are six teams tied at four percent, Michigan State included, but Michigan, Purdue, and Illinois are all considered legitimate national title contenders.
There's a non-zero chance that the Big Ten could have three top-five teams when January rolls around. If Michigan State can take care of Duke on Saturday and Iowa on Tuesday, the Spartans could very well be in the top five next Monday.
Right now, the Spartans are likely to be ranked in the top 10 after beating No. 16 North Carolina by 16 in the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Before that, Michigan State dominated Kentucky en route to a 17-point win at the Champions Classic. And before those two ranked wins, Michigan State held on against a solid Arkansas team despite not playing its 'A' game.
Izzo probably doesn't love all the love that Michigan State is getting right now because he still believes the team has a long way to go. After beating Kentucky, he made sure to humble his guys by saying they're not that good and the Wildcats aren't as bad as they played.