Michigan State goes from top-five to unranked in AP poll in three weeks

From top-five in the preseason to out of the rankings in just three polls.

That’s the path Michigan State took through what’s been a disappointing November in East Lansing.

The Spartans suffered their third loss in their first six games when they fell at Arizona, 74-68, on Thanksgiving in Palm Springs, California.

When the latest Associated Press poll was released on Monday, Nov. 27, the Spartans were unranked, six spots out of the top 25.

Michigan State has now gone from preseason No. 4 to No. 18 to No. 21 to now out of the poll in a span of three weeks. Its previous drops came after a season-opening home loss to James Madison and a neutral-court loss to Duke a week later.

The Spartans likely won’t have an opportunity to climb back into the rankings this week: it faces only Georgia Southern on Tuesday, which is off to an 0-6 start and ranked as one of the worst teams in college basketball.

Associated Press College Basketball Top 25

Others receiving votes: Memphis 108, San Diego St. 102, Colorado 70, Ohio St. 67, TCU 66, Michigan St. 57, Auburn 46, UCLA 24, Princeton 14, Arkansas 10, Florida St. 8, Iowa St. 8, Southern Cal 7, Liberty 7, Nevada 6, Clemson 6, Virginia 6, Mississippi 5, Nebraska 4, South Carolina 2, Cincinnati 2, Kansas St 1, Bradley 1.