Spartans check in at No. 8 in SI's preseason top 25

Written by Mike W. on Wednesday, 15 August 2012 19:20.

Well, Sports Illustrated's writers are very high on the Spartans heading into the 2012 season.

Days after Stewart Mandel listed MSU as a team that could break the SEC's BCS title streak, the Spartans were ranked No. 8 in the publication's preseason rankings.

Here is what Mallory Rubin wrote about the Spartans:

"Mark Dantonio isn't interested in resting on laurels. The Spartans are coming off consecutive 11-win seasons and will enter 2012 as a preseason top 10 team, but their coach isn't satisfied. "None of us can be complacent," Dantonio said. "Last year is the past. We need to move forward." Michigan State will be taking those steps without Kirk Cousins, the winningest quarterback in program history. He'll be replaced by two-year backup Andrew Maxwell, who impressed his coaches and teammates even after spraining his right knee in mid-April."

Wisconsin was the highest ranked Big Ten team in the poll at No. 6. Michigan is No. 13, while Nebraska filled the No. 19 spot and Ohio State is No. 22.

The Spartans actually dropped two spots from the Sports Illustrated rankings from January -- put out after bowl season -- in which they were ranked at No. 6.

Michigan State is ranked No. 13 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

The entire Michigan State team preview can be read here.