Deadspin | Field Level Media Top 25: No. 7 Michigan State

Field Level Media college basketball writers have released ballots for their Top 25 men’s teams entering the 2026-27 season, with Michigan State ranked No. 7. The report points to the Spartans’ 27-8 record from 2025-26 and notes their recent path to the Sweet 16, including a loss in the championship game of the last Final Four in Detroit to North Carolina. Michigan State returns three starters from that Sweet 16 team. The projection highlights point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. as a leading returning catalyst after a season in which he was the nation’s best player not going directly to the NBA, along with his assist-earning production and offseason athletic gains. The main concern is frontcourt depth after graduation losses, including Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. A seven-foot-2 Anton Bonke transfer from Charlotte has seen minutes fluctuate. The note also lists wing newcomer Jasiah Jervis, a McDonald’s All-American, as a scorer who shot 8-for-15 from three during exhibitions.