Fitzgerald arrives at Michigan State, aiming to rebuild after a disastrous season. Can his proven underdog magic transform the Spartans into contenders?
The new era in East Lansing is just five weeks old, but already, things feel different—in a good way.
Pat Fitzgerald has taken on an immense number of challenges since becoming the 26th head coach in Michigan State history. And none of them have been small.
Whether it was navigating the loss of more than 40 players to the transfer portal, adjusting quickly to the modern NIL-driven recruiting landscape after time away from college football, or assembling not just a staff—but the right staff—to help shape the young men arriving on campus, Fitzgerald has had a full plate from day one. Yet through it all, he’s handled the chaos with composure—and a genuine smile.
The Spartans enter the 2026 season coming off one of the worst years in program history. In fact, they were just one loss away from setting the outright record.
Heading into the final week—played at Ford Field against Maryland—Michigan State sat at 0-8 in Big Ten play. That mark tied school records for most conference losses in a season, most consecutive Big Ten losses, and the worst conference showing in program history. The only reason it didn’t stand alone? The expanded schedule era gave them one more opportunity.
Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic led the Spartans to their lone conference win, sparing the program from its lowest statistical point. Still, the damage had been done. That season ultimately marked the end of Jonathan Smith’s tenure and closed the chapter on an era many in East Lansing would prefer to forget.
Now, enter Pat Fitzgerald.
He’s no stranger to taking teams overlooked by voters and media alike and turning them into ranked, dangerous opponents.
Since 2010, no program has finished a season ranked after being unranked in the preseason AP Poll more times than Northwestern. Five separate times, the Wildcats defied expectations, won games, and forced their way into the national conversation by season’s end. Only 11 programs have done it four times—Michigan State included—but Northwestern stands alone at the top.
And who was leading the Wildcats for all five of those runs?
Pat Fitzgerald.
Now, he looks to replicate that formula in East Lansing—this time with a roster pieced together in a matter of weeks. It’s a group that, on paper, might look like a mix of castoffs and question marks. But in reality, it’s exactly the kind of team Fitzgerald has built his reputation on.
This isn’t new territory for him.
During his tenure at Northwestern, the program was rarely viewed as a traditional football power. Yet year after year, Fitzgerald found ways to win—doing it the old-school way. Discipline, development, and a chip on the shoulder became trademarks of his teams.
Time and again, he took squads expected to be little more than placeholders on opponents’ schedules and transformed them into physical, fundamentally sound teams that no one wanted to face.
That same blueprint now arrives in East Lansing.
Michigan State, historically, has thrived in the underdog role. The program’s identity has often been built on exceeding expectations, proving doubters wrong, and embracing the fight. With four seasons of finishing ranked after starting unranked, the Spartans already have that DNA.
Now pair that mindset with a head coach who has made a career out of flipping narratives—and suddenly, the idea of a turnaround doesn’t feel so far-fetched.
So, is it fair to ask whether Fitzgerald can take a team that went 1-8 in conference play and turn them into a ranked squad in year one?
A few years ago, the answer likely would’ve been no.
Even two years ago, it would’ve felt unrealistic. The expectation would’ve been patience—give him time, let him build, trust the process.
But college football isn’t what it used to be.
In today’s NIL-driven, transfer-heavy landscape, rosters can change overnight. Turnarounds can happen faster than ever before. And when you combine that reality with Fitzgerald’s proven track record—and a program that’s no stranger to defying expectations—it becomes much harder to dismiss the possibility.
Ruling out Michigan State entirely wouldn’t just be premature—it could be a mistake.
Because if there’s one thing Pat Fitzgerald has shown throughout his career, it’s this: never count out a team that believes it has something to prove.
And right now, in East Lansing, there’s plenty to prove.