Among Big Ten teams, Michigan State is No. 14 out of 18 teams. That would be a very disappointing finish for the Spartans should they end the season ranked that low among their peers.

It's pretty rare that there's ever a serious race for No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Even if there's a debate, it's typically settled long before ballots are cast. Over the last 20 seasons, the difference in first-place votes between No.