With Michigan State (3-7, 0-7 Big Ten) traveling to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday amid another losing season for the once-respected program, could an Iowa football (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) win force the Spartans to fire head coach Jonathan Smith?
To start, there needs to be a bit of explanation of how the Spartans got into this predicament.
Smith was hired in November of 2023 and arrived in East Lansing alongside then-redshirt freshman quarterback Aidan Chiles. The Smith hiring had the Spartans’ fan base excited, especially after seeing Smith lead Oregon State to two relatively successful seasons at the end of his six-year tenure in Corvallis.
Taking over the program following the dismissal of Mel Tucker just two years into his 10-year, $95 million contract, Smith’s seven-year, $52.8 million contract was a much safer and relatively cost-effective solution for both Michigan State and the university’s donors.
Fast-forward to this season and the once-hopeful fan base that had dreams of returning to its glory days under Mark Dantonio has quickly soured. This is due to an abundance of reasons, but it is highlighted by the aforementioned Chiles’ continued struggles. On-field discipline has faltered amid a seven-game losing streak and the program is forced to deal with numerous stiff penalties as a result of NCAA violations stemming from the Tucker era.
Results on the field haven’t done much to encourage the administration to stick with Smith and his staff for another season. The Spartans aren’t just losing. They’ve rarely been close in Big Ten play.
The Spartans’ only one-score loss in Big Ten play this season came in overtime at Minnesota on Nov. 1. The Spartans fell 23-20 in overtime after Michigan State coughed up a 17-10 lead with 1:52 remaining.
Still, Smith has been selling the idea of he and his staff getting a chance to continue to build toward the future.
“We’re working to have some success out there and taken some body blows,” Smith said. “I know it’s not a lack of effort out of this coaching staff and the players in there. We’ve been proactive, understanding through this negotiation that this had a good chance of coming…
““I do think we’re showing that these guys are playing with great effort and it means a ton to them. We’ve got to get better, we’ve got to grow, we’ve got develop. We need another year of developing of the current roster and the recruiting class to keep this thing getting into a better direction. I’m still confident in our approach,” Smith said.
While Hawkeye fans’ frustrations over the program routinely being a score or play away from greatness under head coach Kirk Ferentz over the past handful of years are somewhat valid, the situation at Michigan State is a much different animal.
For all the flak Ferentz receives from a faction of Hawkeye fans, he has kept the program stable throughout his tenure and made it a reputable NFL factory, featuring names such as Tristan Wirfs, George Kittle, Cooper DeJean, and many more.
As Iowa returns home to Kinnick Stadium for its Senior Day festivities and the hopes of securing a seventh win on the season following a crushing 26-21 defeat to No. 16 USC in Los Angeles, a Hawkeye victory over the Spartans could potentially put the proverbial nail in the coffin for Smith’s tenure at Michigan State.
The Hawkeyes and Spartans will meet at a sold-out Kinnick Stadium this Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game televised on FS1.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Is an Iowa football win the final straw for Michigan State?
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
