How UM's Sherrone Moore's Firing Impacts Michigan State
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These types of things have rippling effects across college football. Michigan fired Sherrone Moore for cause on Wednesday due to an inappropriate relationship involving Moore and a staff member.
Suddenly, there is an open seat at the top of a blue blood program that also happens to be Michigan State's most hated rival. MSU is impacted by Wednesday's stunning news in multiple forms.
2026 Season and Beyond
The first obvious thing is that both UM and Michigan State will have first-year head coaches when the two teams meet in Ann Arbor next season. It'll be a bit of a reflection of the 2024 meeting, when Moore and Jonathan Smith were both in their first seasons at each school. Smith, of course, was taking over for Mel Tucker, who was also fired for cause due to sexual misconduct. Moore was promoted to head coach after Jim Harbaugh left for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Now, Michigan will be hiring its own successor for a coach who was fired in disgrace. MSU will be paying its buyout of Smith's contract, and will have Pat Fitzgerald on the Michigan Stadium sideline next fall. Hopefully, both schools will be able to remain out of trouble, and Fitzgerald and the Wolverines' next coach can bring some stability.
Recruiting
Another big thing about this news is that it helps level the playing field for Michigan State when it comes to recruiting the state. It might actually tilt it in MSU's favor, since Fitzgerald has likely built up some form of network around the state from his time as Northwestern's coach.
Whoever UM hires could have some ties to the state or school, but Fitzgerald won't be at a disadvantage in terms of how long he's been on the job now. Moore would've had a two-year advantage to make inroads in places like Detroit --- really more, since he got a job at Central Michigan in 2014 and first arrived at Michigan as an assistant in 2018. Now, everything has been reset.
What also cannot be ignored is that this has all come out after the early signing period. The Wolverines have the fourth-best class in the Big Ten, according to Rivals, but now everyone is going to try and pry at Michigan's class and roster. Some recruits could ask for releases on their NLIs, and the portal will likely be an eventful couple of weeks for both UM and MSU.
Cool the Rivalry Chirps
The firing of Moore is also a great time for Michigan to take a look in the mirror. It just got through the whole Connor Stalions saga after a long period of metaphorical dragging of the feet, and now the Wolverines are dealing with another scandal that seems to get darker by the minute. Calling themselves the "leaders and best" at the moment would be more than hyperbolic.
But this is also no time for Michigan State fans to start gloating about UM's moral shortcomings and start dunking on your rival. East Lansing has had zero shortage of ridiculous and despicable happenings in recent years, from Larry Nassar, Tucker, and three years of vacated wins because of other misdeeds within Tucker's staff. Neither school has a leg to stand on at the moment in terms of moral superiority.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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