CHICAGO, Ill. — The Michigan State Football team is itching to get back on the field with their first game coming up in a little over a month.
With the upcoming game, the big question heading into the season is whether or not the offense will be good enough for the Spartans to climb back on top of the Big Ten East.
Many professional polls say no, but that doubt from the national media doesn't bother the Spartans.
"That's been me my whole life, that's been us our whole lives, we're excited for it. We kind of like the preseason rankings and where we're at now, but let's see what happens when November comes around, that's my mindset," Joe Bachie, MSU linebacker, said.
"That's kind of how our team is built, that's how we work, how we operate, we don't care for the hype, the media, we're not here for all that, we're gonna work and put our product on the field and let that speak for itself," Kenny Willekes, MSU defensive end, said.
MSU Football Head Coach Mark Dantonio also commented on the void left by former star safety and Jackson native Khari Willis, who is now with the Indianapolis Colts.
"Tough to replace because he means so much more than on the field, he's a leader, and I hope the players understand and see, and I think that this is the case, that his leadership rubbed off on everybody," Dantonio said.
"He was a leader, definitely one of the guys I look up to, but hopefully we don't miss a beat, but he's definitely a hard guy to replace," Bachie said.
The Spartans road back to the top of the Big Ten will be even more difficult than normal with tough road games at Northwestern, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Michigan.
The Spartans first game will be on Aug. 30 at home against Tulsa.
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