Well, considering I said 4-8 this year, I'm perhaps not the best judge.
The schedule certainly gets harder. We got 2 of the big 3 in the East at home last year, so that flips to 2 of 3 on the road next year, with the one home being against OSU, which I would say we are an underdog, no matter where it is played. While home field probably swings who is favored against UM/PSU.
Then our big OOC opponent goes from @Miami to @Washington. On paper, pretty even, but that environment in Miami was a neutral crowd at best. There were A LOT of MSU fans there, and not a ton of home fans. Seattle is a tougher venue, and Big Ten teams historically struggle with those Pac 12 road games.
Then for crossover opponents, we flip Purdue, Nebraska, Northwestern; for Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois.
I'll say we open 2-0 against WMU and Akron; split the road games at Washington and Illinois (3-1); lose 3 of 4 of OSU, UW, @Michigan, @PSU (4-4); then finish 3-1 against Minnesota, Rutgers, Indiana, @Maryland.
So give me 7-5 right now