The Michigan State Spartans enter the 2011-2012 college football season as the oddsmakers fifth choice to win the Big 10 Championship at +900 ($100.00 wager would pay back $900.00). Wisconsin is the current pick to win the conference at +150 and is followed by Nebraska +180, Penn State +325, Ohio State +550, Iowa +1100, Michigan +2000, Northwestern +2000, Illinois +3000, Purdue +5500, Minnesota +5500 and Minnesota +6000. The Spartans are only the third choice (behind favored Nebraska -175 and Iowa +450) at +475 to even win the Big 10 Legends Division despite 5th-year senior quarterback Kirk Cousin returning along with all three running backs who combined for 1,950 yards from a team that only lost one regular season game. The BCS Championship odds from offshore bookmakers have Michigan State sitting at 50-1 to win the title this year. In Las Vegas, the Spartans opened up at 50-1, but have already dropped all the way down to 75-1.

Even though the Spartans had an amazing season in 2010-11, they are still not getting the respect from oddsmakers in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts International Race & Sports managed to leave off the Spartans from their printed 2011-2012 college football regular season win total sheets that are handed out in the casino, but did manage to list Michigan and completely ignore the fact Sparty has owned the Wolverines in recent years. After winning eleven of twelve games and returning the core of an explosive offense, offshore bookmakers only have the Spartans projected to win 7.5 games in 2011-12. The season has not officially started, but many offshores have released projected pointspreads and in almost every marquee matchup have Michigan State in the underdog role: 9/17 +7.0 on the road against Notre Dame, 10/15 -6.0 at home against Michigan, 10/22 +1.5 at home against Wisconsin, 10/29 +8.0 on the road against Nebraska, and 11/12 +1.0 on the road against Iowa. Currently there is no projected line for the Ohio State game, but the Buckeyes have owned Michigan State winning seven straight games with six of those by double digits.

CFB: Michigan State Season Win Totals
What college football bettors need to know about Michigan State 2011 Season from Pregame.com - Including predictions from Johnny Detroit and analysis from host Marco D'Angelo.