After endlessly clamoring about Michigan, MSU fans learn lesson the hard way with NCAA ruling

On Wednesday, Michigan State football fans learned a valuable lesson: "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

After much of the Spartans fanbase clamored for two years about how Michigan should be punished for the in-person scouting operation related to Connor Stalions, with many claiming the Wolverines would have wins vacated and that their past accomplishments were tainted, as it turned out, it was actually Michigan State's violations within its own football program that warranted vacated victories, according to the NCAA.

On Wednesday afternoon, it was reported the NCAA put the Spartans' program on three years of probation and penalized the school $30,000 plus 1.5% of the team's budget after ruling that former staff members under then MSU coach Mel Tucker broke rules regarding recruiting inducements and benefits, communication and unofficial visit expenses. Michigan State confirmed the same day it had reached a negotiated settlement with the NCAA.

Tucker was fired from Michigan State more than two years ago, but as a result of the settlement, was given a three-year show-cause order that effectively bans him from coaching in college athletics during that time period.

In addition, due to the participation of three ineligible players, 14 wins from the 2022 through 2024 seasons were vacated. The program has also received recruiting restrictions over the next three years.

The penalties from the NCAA were similar to the one it handed down on Jim Harbaugh and Michigan for impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Harbaugh received a four-year show-cause order and the school was put on three years probation, which included a fine and recruiting restrictions.

A clear difference in the two cases, which is a concept Michigan State fans on social media seem to be failing to grasp, is that in Michigan's case, there was no discovery from the NCAA that the Wolverines were ever playing players who would have been deemed ineligible as the result of the investigation. In the case of MSU, the findings of their violations showed that three players were deemed ineligible due to the nature of the recruiting infractions from MSU staff.

However, the case that took over the headlines in the college football world from 2023 to August of 2025 was the Michigan in-person scouting case centering around Stalions. As a result of that case, the NCAA hit Michigan hard with fines that could eclipse $30 million, a 10-year show-cause to Harbaugh, an eight-year show-cause to Stalions, and a three-game suspension and two-year show-cause for current head coach Sherrone Moore.

While the NCAA levied significant punishments for individuals and against the school, it steered away from a postseason ban because the infractions committee did not see it as appropriate to punish current players on the team—which seemed to upset rival fans of Michigan.

Another inaction from the committee included a decision to not vacate any of Michigan's wins, which included a very successful period in which the program won three Big Ten titles and a national title. This decision also made fans rooting for Michigan's demise very upset. However, in the past, the NCAA has set a precedent where, in most instances, vacating wins only relates to instances where there is use of ineligible players. Therefore, taking away Michigan's past accomplishments could not be considered if the organization were to remain consistent in its rulings.

When it's all said and done, the removing of 14 wins for an MSU program that has been in a poor state over the past several years won't mean a whole lot in the bigger picture. It is, however, ironic that a large portion of the Spartan fan base were on their high horses claiming the program they root for is at the very least morally superior to their biggest rival—which, in fairness, it was probably the only way MSU fans could feel like they were tasting victory against Michigan during the past four years.

I think the lesson here is, for MSU fans, as I referenced earlier in the article, "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

The reality is, it's very likely there aren't many high level college football programs that follow every rule to a tee, and claiming the program you root for stands on some type of moral high ground is probably further from reality than anyone realizes in the moment.

MSU football coach Mel Tucker pictured Tuesday, March 14, 2023, during the first day of spring practice at the indoor football facilty in East Lansing. | Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

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