The Michigan State Spartans football program ended the 2025-26 season with a 4-8 record after defeating the Maryland Terrapins 38-28 in Week 14. The Spartans are now making a change at head coach and already have their replacement locked in.
Michigan State announced that it is firing Jonathan Smith as head coach, according to Matt Zenitz, Corey Robinson, Justin Thind, and Richard Johnson of CBS Sports. His time with the Spartans comes to an end after just two seasons and a 9-15 record. The program was also recently hit with NCAA sanctions from violations that took place between October 2021 and March 2023.
Rumors immediately emerged that Pat Fitzgerald, who was let go by the Northwestern Wildcats in 2022, is one of the leading candidates for the Michigan State job, per Zenitz, Robinson, and Thind of CBS Sports.
“Ex-Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is expected to be a person of interest for the Michigan State head coaching opening, sources tell me, Corey Robinson and Justin Thind for CBS Sports. Posted 110 wins at Northwestern and was the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year in 2020.”
It was confirmed later Sunday that Fitzgerald will indeed be Smith's replacement, according to Chris Solari and Graham Couch of the Detroit Free Press, making the coaching search a swift one.
Fitzgerald has been serving as a volunteer assistant for Loyola Academy since being fired by Northwestern after a hazing scandal. Fitz was the program's head coach from 2006 to 2022, making him the longest-tenured coach in the Wildcats' history. He owns a career 110-101 record while going 5-5 in bowl games.
Fitzgerald and Northwestern recently settled a wrongful termination lawsuit that was filed after his firing. The longtime Wildcats coach will now embark on a redemption tour at Michigan State.
