2015 — The Top-10 Year

Michigan State finished 2015 inside the final AP top-10. The top-10 is the tier the program calibrates annual expectation against.

Record 12-2
Final Result 12-win season
AP Final #3 post-bowls
SP+ +5.3 last-week
Era —
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
W @ West Mic 37-24 W vs Oregon 31-28 W vs Air For 35-21 W vs Cent Mic 30-10 W vs Purdue 24-21 W @ Rutgers 31-24 W @ Michigan 27-23 W vs Indiana 52-26 L @ Nebraska 38-39 W vs Maryland 24-7 W @ Ohio St 17-14 W vs Penn St 55-16 W @ Iowa 16-13 L @ Alabama 0-38 CFP

Who carried it

Season leaders, 2015.

Defining Moments
The Statement

The 2015 season's largest margin: Michigan State 55, Penn State 16. A 39-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The Setback

The season's deepest loss: Michigan State 0, Alabama 38. A 38-point margin the season is remembered by.

The Postseason

The season's last act: Michigan State fell to Alabama 0-38 in the postseason.

"Go Green"
— Michigan State fanbase voice · 2015· synthesized
What It Meant

2015 is a middle chapter for Michigan State — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.