Kirk Herbstreit sends warning to Michigan State Spartans following win vs. Michigan

Michigan State got the honors of having the biggest win of the college football weekend on Saturday. Mel Tucker’s squad played a highly entertaining game against in-state rivals Michigan, moving to 8-0 on the year.

Even with the victory, Kirk Herbstreit sent a warning out to the Spartans. On ‘The ESPN College Football Podcast‘, before the initial College Football Playoff rankings were released, he said they need to be careful.

“Michigan State, they’re going to get a lot of what we’re giving them right now,” Herbstreit said. “‘My gosh, holy cow, look at this team! They’re amazing!’ Let’s say Tuesday night when the rankings coming out, they are in the top four. They got Ohio State coming up on (Nov. 20). Be careful, be careful.”

With the rankings being released, Michigan State ranks at No. 3, only behind Georgia and Alabama. Herbstreit continued by saying that when somebody is experiencing a playoff push for the first time as Tucker is, it’s important to bring your team back to reality quickly.

“Anytime you are new to this, let me learn you a thing or two,” he said. “This is how it works in November. You start looking down the horizon, you start looking down what’s coming and you look past anybody — and I am sure Mel Tucker and his staff, they’re trying to get them to come back down. Rivalry game, the whole world was watching. Now you are going to Purdue. Who cares? You got Ohio State coming up! Nah, Nah, Nah. Bring it back, bring it back.”

Upset watch for Michigan State?

Within the Big Ten over the past few seasons, nobody has played a better spoiler than Purdue. Whenever highly ranked teams travel to West Layfette, they always get the Boilermakers’ best shot.

Herbstreit said teams lingering and remembering their last result would play right into head coach Jeff Brohm’s plan. In the flash of a second, “all of this can go away.”

“We got to go over to Purdue locked in,” said the ESPN analyst. “Because ole Jeff Brohm, all he wants is you take your foot off the gas just a little bit. And we see it every week. Every week it happens to somebody. Michigan State has got to put that one behind them and make sure they’re not the team this week that’s not respecting an opponent, brings their B-, C+ game, and loses.”

Coaches are going to be the ones trying to instill it into their minds to move on from Michigan and onto Purdue. However, everything will come down to the players and how they respond.

“It’s a test of maturity and leadership from the players because the coaches are going to be saying what I am saying all week,” Herbstreit said. “But the players better buy into that otherwise they could stumble on Saturday.”

Michigan State will kick off at Purdue on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.