Michigan State is the 20th-best coaching job in college football, according to a new ESPN ranking.

Travis Haney has MSU in the fourth tier of a new ranking of the 65 head coaching jobs among the Power 5 conferences. He describes the fourth tier as: "Established brands in their respective leagues -- but is there a certain ceiling that will stop these programs from reaching the top shelf?"

Haney has MSU as the No. 5 overall job in the Big Ten behind Penn State (17), Michigan (14) and Ohio State (4). Here's what he wrote specifically about the Spartan football program:

Natural competition with Michigan and Ohio State works for the Spartans in setting a high standard -- and works against MSU in that it may never be viewed, by comparison, as a true blue blood in the sport. Still, who cares about that if you’re in the discussion for a national title?

Earlier this month, Haney wrote that MSU was trending down after national signing day due to Ohio State's national championship and Michigan's hiring of Jim Harbaugh.

The Detroit Free Press asked MSU head coach Mark Dantonio about Haney's ratings on Wednesday.

"Well, that's just one of you media guys speaking," Dantonio told the Freep. "You know, I don't put much stock in a lot of that usually. Nothing personal."

"I haven't seen a lot of people saying that," he added. "And I don't see us declining. I see us moving forward."

 

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