Spartans' Smith Listed as Top Candidate for West Coast School

Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith is a top candidate to land at a top West Coast School.

Sep 13, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith takes the field before a game against Youngstown State at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

The Michigan State Spartans are off to a great start to their 2025 College Football Season. The Spartans are off to a 3-0 start after picking up their third straight win this past Saturday against Youngstown State. It was a good show for the Spartans on both sides of the ball. Up next for the Spartans is a date with USC to open up Big 10 play.

But before the Spartans can get to Week 4 of their season, there was big news that came out of the Big Ten. And that was the firing of UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster. Foster only coached the Bruins for 15 games, and the Bruins were off to a horrible 0-3 start with not much conviction.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith has been named a top candidate to land the UCLA head coaching job next.

• "A Pasadena, California native, Jonathan Smith took the Michigan State Spartans head coaching job two years ago, but there is a world where he could have stayed West Coast. His knowledge of the Big 10 would come in handy for the Bruins," said Connor Moreno of UCLA Bruins on SI.

• "While he has had recent success as the Spartans' head coach this season, he has had more resources at his disposal. If UCLA were to add him, bring the native back to the West Coast, things could look up for the Bruins' program's future."

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith claps while looking on during the second overtime in the game against Boston College on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What This Could Mean

The Bruins obviously need some help, as many don't view them as being worthy to play within the Big 10 based on the start they have had this season. Coach Smith has brought a strong mentality to the idea of adding players, not through the transfer portal, but from high school.

• "I was talking to a Big 10 head coach this week for a story that I am doing on SI, and he knows that I am a Spartan, and I said, "What do you think of the Spartans?" said Our Hondo Carpenter. "He said, 'I am going to tell you something that nobody is talking about, ' and I said, 'Really, what is that?' He said they are making a major push with high school kids while everyone else is going to the portal. And he goes, Joanthan [Smith] has the resources."

• "And he goes, I think it can come back and hurt some of us because we are going portal. All of us are so much. And he is going to high school where there are guys he is getting that maybe Michigan State would not have gotten previously."

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