The Michigan State Spartans are the latest college football team to make a coaching change.
The Spartans are firing Jonathan Smith after two seasons. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Michigan State will pay $33 million to part ways with the coach.
Sources: Michigan State plans to fire coach Jonathan Smith today. He went 1-8 in the Big Ten this season and his overall record in two seasons was 9-15. He's set to be owed $33 million. pic.twitter.com/M31wFM4CWi
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 30, 2025
The Spartans had high hopes for Smith when they hired him away from Oregon State two years ago, but the results never arrived. Despite getting highly-rated quarterback Adrian Chiles to follow him from Corvallis, Smith went 9-15 over two seasons, and only managed one Big Ten victory this season. The program actually regressed during Smith’s second year, winning one fewer game in his second season.
Smith’s record will go down as 4-15, as the five wins in his first season were vacated due to NCAA rules violations that took place under his predecessor Mel Tucker.
The Spartans were one of the Big Ten’s best programs in the first half of the 2010s, but have fallen on hard times since. Their next coaching hire will be hugely important as they try to avoid becoming a Big Ten also-ran.
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