3 Reasons 2026 Michigan State Football Should Have Hope
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Four consecutive losing seasons for a program that was in yearly Big Ten Championship contention can be a drag for any fan, including Spartans Nation.
The Michigan State Spartans made a change from Jonathan Smith to Pat Fitzgerald, who once led Northwestern to relevance until a hazing scandal led to his departure. Fitzgerald is a highly regarded culture builder, ironic as that may be, and could be the right coach for an uncertain time in Michigan State athletics following the sudden exit of athletic director J Batt.
Despite the chaos in East Lansing, Spartans fans should have something to hope for, with intriguing additions in the transfer portal, Fitzgerald's first year, and some key talent retention. With that in mind, here are three reasons to be hopeful about Spartans football.
Fitzgerald Gives Spartans Football a Culture Shock
Regardless of what may have happened in his final days at Northwestern, Fitzgerald's coaching alone kept the Wildcats afloat. His ability to do more with less made him one of the most respected coaches in college football, and he will look to rebuild that reputation at a more reputable program.
Fitzgerald has some talent to work with, and he did an impressive job of retaining key starters, including linebacker Jordan Hall, who could've gone to any title contender in the country, especially from within his own conference.
One thing I appreciate about Fitzgerald is his ability to get the best out of his players and put together a competitive roster that can cause trouble to even the best of the best. This roster has improved, but it still has a way to go before it becomes an at-large team, at best, for the CFP. Fitzgerald may not get there in Year 1, but I think there is a path to get there with patience and year-to-year progression.
2026 Spartans Provide Experience Across the Board
Experience is key to generating sustained success. The rosters on both sides of the ball are littered with potential starters entering their fourth or fifth years, whether with Michigan State or at other programs. There is some tantalizing youth on offense, including starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who will be under the most pressure of any player in the program to perform well.
Hall, along with safety Nikai Martinez and wide receiver Chrishon McCray, is just a handful of starters who I'm intrigued about entering the 2026 season. I certainly won't mistake the Spartans as a team that may win eight games, but with the current structure of the team, reaching a bowl game with this experienced bunch would put the program on the right path under Fitzgerald.
Defense Will Be One of Key Strengths for Program
This might sound like a wild thing to say after Michigan State allowed nearly 30 points a game last fall, but retaining the defensive coordinator Joe Rossi, Hall, and Martinez became a major plus after the defense improved toward the end of 2025. Of course, Rossi is likely on the hot seat and will need to prove that the strong finish was a prelude to what could come this season.
The Spartans have questions to answer on the defensive front. Though Ben Roberts, Derrick Simmons, Keahnist Thompson, and Kenny Soares Jr. provide an unproven ceiling that could turn into a fortune for Rossi.
Martinez, the return of Charles Brantley, transfer Devin Vaught, and projected nickel defender Michael Richard give the Spartans a group that could thrive into a feisty secondary, one that could keep some of the top passing offenses on their schedule in check.
As I continue to work through the Spartans' roster and coaching staff, this is a team that could cause some damage in the Big Ten, though not enough to sustain significant chaos within a conference that features a couple of National Championship contenders. Regardless, Michigan State faithful should have reasons for hope in 2026.
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Jared Feinberg, a native of western North Carolina, has written about NFL football for nearly a decade. He has contributed to several national outlets and is now part of our On SI team as an NFL team reporter. Jared graduated from UNC Asheville with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and later pursued his master's degree at UNC Charlotte. You can follow Jared Feinberg on Twitter at @JRodNFLDraft