Following a 4-8 season where the Spartans won just one game in conference, Michigan State has fired head coach Jonathan Smith after his second year at the helm.
Smith finished his career 9-15 at Michigan State, however, Michigan State’s five wins from 2024-25 season were vacated as a result of the violations under former head coach Mel Tucker and his staff. His official NCAA record is just 4-15.
Michigan State began the season 3-0, with nonconference wins over Western Michigan, Boston College and Youngstown State, although the Spartans’ season quickly turned sour when they entered Big Ten play.
Michigan State lost its first eight games of conference play under Smith in 2025, where the Spartans lost by two scores in the first five of those games. Those first five losses included the gauntlet of away contests against USC, Nebraska and Indiana, as well as home games versus UCLA and Michigan.
Michigan State had the chance to earn victories at Minnesota and Iowa late in the season, and with leads in the fourth quarter in both games, the Spartans seemed primed to. Despite its late leads in each game, Michigan State lost by three to both — on a game-winning field goal against Iowa and a game-clinching touchdown from Minnesota in overtime after the Spartans elected to kick a field goal first.
With just a 1-8 record in conference this season, Smith finished his career winning only 4 of 18 games in Big Ten competition over his two seasons with the Spartans.
Smith formerly coached at Oregon State where he accrued a 34-35 over six seasons from 2018–23. He also spent his four-year college career with the Beavers from 1998-2001.
Image via Tom Hauck, Getty Images
