2005 Michigan State Spartans Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Michigan State has been one of the most dangerous college football teams to mess with over the past four seasons as the Spartans have failed to post a winning record/profit against the odds in that time span, despite being a bowl team in two of those four seasons. Michigan State has long been considered an underachieving college football program both on the field and at the sportsbooks and online sports betting boards.

In 2003 The Spartans were streaky under then first year coach John L. Smith, losing their first three games against the odds, then putting together a five-game winning streak against the sports betting line, before dropping their next three in a row against the spread. In 2002 after covering their opener the Spartans proceeded to drop eight straight games against the odds. This was fair sports handicapping warning to all who were considering Michigan State to be included on their list of football picks entering 2004.

After dropping four of their final five games against the odds in 2003, Michigan State kept the bankroll bombing going by dropping their first three games of 2004 against the sports betting line. Many online sports betting blogs were scathing about this “fraud” of a team.

Entering their fourth game of the season State was 8-18 against the odds dating back to week two of 2002. By this time few sports bettors wanted Sparty on their list of football picks. This near mass desertion finally gave State some value against the odds and they went on to win five of their next seven games against the line, which was capped off by a most impressive 49-14 blowout home win over Wisconsin as 7.5-point dogs. After a horrible start, Michigan State stood at 5-5 both straight up and against the spread and needed just one more victory in their final two games to secure a bowl invite.

At this point, Michigan State re-educated the sports handicapping community as to why they have been poison to football picks lists. As 3.5-point chalks at struggling Penn State, in a game that many veterans of sports handicapping proclaimed a trap, the Spartans lost 13-37. Having to win their final game at Hawaii in order to bowl, MSU was installed as a 6.5-point favorite and lost 38-41 due to some fine “home cooking” by the refs and Warriors. MSU finished 5-7 both straight up and against the odds