MSU basketball no longer top team, slips in national analyst's updated rankings

Michigan State basketball is no longer the top team in national analyst's early rankings for next season.

National college basketball analyst Seth Davis has slid the Spartans down a few spots and has a new No. 1 overall team in his latest "never-too-early" rankings for the 2026-27 season. Michigan State had previously been his No. 1 team but he now has Michigan State sitting at No. 3 in his latest poll released on Monday.

Michigan State is behind only Duke (No. 1) and rival Michigan (No. 2) in the latest update. Right behind the Spartans is Illinois (No. 4) and UConn (No. 5).

Michigan State picked up a key transfer portal addition in last week in Charlotte transfer center Anton Bonke, but that move clearly wasn't enough in the eyes of Davis to retain his top spot. Or it could, of course, be the key additions the Blue Devils and Wolverines have made this portal cycle that pushed them ahead of the Spartans. Regardless, Michigan State is still a top five team entering next season at the moment, which is a great spot to be situated.

Click on the post below to see the complete rankings from Davis:

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