The Michigan State Spartans’ athletics programs are ranked 11th in CBS Sports’ annual “Best In College Sports” rankings.
CBS began presenting “Best in College Sports” to NCAA athletic programs in 2013, when Louisville was recognized as the No. 1 player. The latest rankings, recognizing the 2021-22 academic year, feature MSU’s rival Michigan Wolverines. at the top after winning Big Ten banners in football and hockey.
For years, the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors has ranked programs by weighting each sport equally. However, CBS ranks football and basketball more highly. Each university is ranked based on its football team, men’s and women’s basketball teams, and two “wild card” programs, or the university’s top two sports that do not fall into the above categories.
For Michigan, the Big Ten-winning football team totaled 212 points, including 128 in men’s basketball, 73 in women’s basketball, 90 in ice hockey and 85 in wrestling. MSU finished 172.5 in football after Mel Tucker’s 11-2 Peach Bowl-winning season, 100 in men’s basketball after last season’s Round of 32 loss to Duke, zero in women’s basketball and 66.75 in two wild cards. 32.
It’s unclear what MSU’s wild card results were, but its gymnastics program had an incredible year. MSU’s other sports, such as softball, baseball and hockey, haven’t fared as well. Wrestling appears to be a good candidate for the #2 wild card slot.
Michigan State’s highest CBS ranking was in 2013-14, when it finished second.
Michigan State finished fourth among Big Ten teams (fifth if you count Notre Dame in hockey). Ohio State is third on the list, just behind Notre Dame. Iowa was ranked 10th, ahead of MSU.
