Jonathan Smith’s Firing Expected After Michigan State’s Latest Loss

Embattled Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith was unable to get a win over Penn State on Saturday.

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MSU fell 28-10 to the Nittany Lions in front of 61,671 fans at Spartan Stadium. It was the second loss Smith has endured this season to a Big Ten program with an interim head coach at home. UCLA defeated the Spartans 38-13 on Oct. 11.

Smith’s status on the hot seat has been a hot topic in the college football world amid a seven-game losing streak. MSU is 3-7 overall and 0-7 in Big Ten play.

Former LSU head coach Brian Kelly has been linked to the Spartans as a possible replacement for Smith.

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Cory Linsner of Spartans Wire believes Michigan State will fire Smith in the coming weeks. Linsner doesn’t think MSU will announce the firing on Sunday, but thinks the decision has likely already been made.

“It just feels like the decision of Smith’s job security is more of ‘when’ it will happen, and not a ‘if’ it will happen,” Linsner wrote. “With the loss to Penn State, and the Spartans failing to become bowl eligible for the fourth straight year, any chance left to save his job is over.

“Over the last few weeks, Smith had chances to win games and make the case for his job to be saved, but sitting at 3-7 it doesn’t feel like there are any more opportunities to play his way into another year.”

Smith, 46, is 3-14 during his first two seasons at MSU. (Five wins from the 2024 season were vacated over recruiting violations from when Mel Tucker was the head coach.)

The Spartans will next travel to play No. 21 Iowa in Week 13 before finishing the regular season at home against Maryland. MSU has no chance to become eligible for a bowl game after the loss to PSU.

For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.