Michigan State football schedule: Do Spartans deserve to be in top 4 of CFP rankings?

The Michigan State Spartans were rewarded for their win over rival Michigan on Saturday, and ranked No. 3 in the first CFP rankings.

Kenneth Walker III cemented himself as a legitimate Heisman threat — and arguably the frontrunner for the award — with his electric performance against the rival Wolverines on Saturday, in which the Spartans overcame a 16-point deficit for their first signature win.

The rest of the schedule isn’t so kind, as MSU had yet to defeat, well, anyone of significance up to that point. Wins over Miami, Northwestern and Nebraska suddenly don’t look as impressive, meaning the Spartans only chance to impress the committee before Tuesday was this past weekend.

And boy, did it work.

Michigan State football schedule: Spartans rewarded for beating Michigan

The rest of the schedule won’t be as forgiving, as the Spartans head on the road to face Purdue on Saturday, before a test against Maryland. Then, the real fun starts.

Michigan State will end their regular season with a battle against Ohio State in Columbus. The Buckeyes could very well be fighting for a spot in the playoff in what amounts to a CFP Quarterfinal.

Should Sparty hold up against Ryan Day and Co., they then must defeat Penn State in East Lansing, followed by a date in the Big Ten Championship against any number of talented opposition in Indianapolis.

Good grief.

The Big Ten is among the most talented conferences in college football for a reason. Should the Spartans come out unscathed, they’ll be more than deserving of a spot in the top-4.