Sep 12, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio looks on before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Spartan Stadium. Spartans beat the Ducks 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Michigan State football’s Mark Dantonio is ranked the No. 13 head coach in college football for 2017, according to Athlon Sports.

Following one of the worst seasons and offseasons in Michigan State football history, Mark Dantonio’s job looked to be less secure than ever. Fortunately, he weathered the unbelievable storm that his East Lansing and made all the right calls along the way.

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Even after this terrible offseason and 3-9 campaign in 2016, some college football preview publications are still giving Dantonio plenty of credit. In fact, Athlon Sports ranked him the 13th-best head coach in college football for 2017.

Per Athlon Sports, Dantonio’s drop in ranking from the top 10 last year was due to the Spartans’ 3-9 season in 2016.

After winning 11 or more games in five out of six seasons from 2010-15, the Spartans fell to 3-9 last year. While the Big Ten East is getting tougher with Penn State’s rise under James Franklin, and Jim Harbaugh’s arrival at Michigan, it’s hard to envision Michigan State staying down for too long under Dantonio. After all, he’s 90-42 since 2007 in East Lansing and has guided the program to nine bowl trips. Dantonio’s 2015 team won the Big Ten Championship and earned a trip to the CFB Playoff, while the 2013 version played in the Rose Bowl after beating Ohio State in the conference title game.

That’s a vote of confidence from the sports publication: “It’s hard to envision Michigan State staying down for too long under Dantonio.”

Many Michigan State fans feel the same way, but there are outsiders who believe the fall of the Spartans is underway. However, Michigan State has one of the best coaches in college football, so a bowl trip in 2017 isn’t out of the question. Heck, it’d be one of Dantonio’s best coaching jobs to date.

Who from the Big Ten is ranked ahead of Dantonio? Urban Meyer is second, Jim Harbaugh is third and James Franklin just passed him as No. 12.