TOUGH TIMING: MSU basketball UNLUCKY with timing of NCAA eligibility proposal | Michigan State

Michigan State fans are reeling from a double blow of bad timing as the NCAA prepares to unveil a major eligibility rule change—five years of play over five years, starting at 19 or high school graduation—just as the college basketball transfer portal has opened. The proposal, which could allow stars like Jackson Kohler and Carson Cooper to return for a fifth season, arrives too late to impact roster decisions, leaving MSU in limbo as they try to fill holes left by those seniors. The host argues this isn’t the first time Michigan State has been undone by unfortunate timing: from missing out on a College Football Playoff berth in 2014 due to a delayed format, to losing a spring transfer window that could’ve helped rebuild their football roster. Even worse, the NCAA is simultaneously pushing for a 76-team tournament expansion, which would flood the bracket with low-tier teams and dilute the regular season’s meaning—something the host calls a money-driven power move that benefits only the Power 5. The episode ends with a scathing critique of the new tournament format and a sarcastic jab at the idea that Matt Ishbia could buy back fan loyalty if he lured Tom Izzo away, underscoring how timing, not talent, often defines a program’s fate.