Two days and one month before the MSU football season begins against the Broncos of Western Michigan, I saw the movie "Seabiscuit."

For those of you not in the racehorse know, I'll quickly summarize the story of the legendary horse.

Seabiscuit had very low - if any - expectations.

Seabiscuit was a descendant of the famed racehorse Man o' War yet, as a colt, he showed very little promise. He had an attitude problem and was undersized by racehorse standards.

His jockey, Red Pollard, was a former boxer who battled many injuries throughout his riding career. He was blind in his right eye, had a broken back and hip and nearly lost his leg. And like Seabiscuit, he had a size problem. He stood about 5 feet 7 inches - that's tall for a jockey.

Too tall and too small. At very early stages in their lives, both had great expectations placed upon them. After not panning out, both were marked for mere mediocrity.

You'd have to be out of your mind to bet on them.

Now skip ahead a few years.

The team went on to earn nearly half a million dollars, which in today's warped athletic world might seem like chump change, but during the Great Depression it was record-setting.

So what does a horse from 65 years ago have to do with the upcoming MSU football season? Everything.

Call me a dreamer. Call me unrealistic. Call me what you will.

But it was the fact that virtually everyone had given up on Seabiscuit and his crew that made them famous and awe-inspiring characters. It was the best thing that ever could have happened to them.

The fact that many collegiate football critics are predicting the Spartans to finish at the end of the pack this season just might be the thing that ignites them.

Last year, the Spartans were predicted to be a dark horse candidate to win the Big Ten title.

But as we all were witness to, the team got off to a slow start from the gate and stumbled through a forgettable season.

Last year, everything was riding on what was supposed to be a big season, but it ended up being the worst in years. Now the team faces what many believe will be another poor finish, and it will be lucky to finish .500 much less make a bowl game.

But I wouldn't yet count out the Spartans. I'd say they're a good bet to arrive at their first away game in South Bend with a 3-0 record. And with Notre Dame playing Michigan, ranked No. 7 in the USA

Today/ESPN Coaches'Poll, in the Big House a week before, you can count on the Irish to be a little beat up as they prepare to battle for the Megaphone Trophy.

I'm not going to do anymore predicting or jinxing. A team which looks to start a nice mix of young players and veterans can pick up a lot of confidence with what appears to be, on paper, an easy early schedule.

A road game to the home of defending national champs Ohio State and a homestand against the Maize and Blue reek of R's - revenge, redemption and respect. They will be the games that make or break the season.

But maybe the boys in green don't have a fantastic nonconference season. Maybe for the first time in his career, coach John L. Smith will endure a sub .500 conference record.

So what? There's nowhere to go but up.

Seabiscuit struggled mightily on his way to the top, carrying the dreams of a broken nation on his back and inspiring the masses.

The Spartans, on a smaller scale, are in a similar situation. When they take the field Aug. 30, the weight of thousands of fans, students and alumni will once again be burdened upon the shoulders of the Green and White.

Having no expectations can only lead to one possible outcome - exceeding those expectations. Sure, it sounds corny and fictional, but if a nearly lame runt of a horse ridden by a half-blind jockey left out for the trash return as champions, a written-off football team can do some damage as well.

You can bet on them.

Jonathan Malavolti can be reached at malavol2@msu.edu.