Greg presented a preview of Rutgers’ final opponent, Michigan State. And the final opponent coach, and Kirk Herbsteit doppelganger, is Pat Fitzgerald.
The 52-year old is back coaching in the Big Ten after a three year hiatus. Fitzgerald was fired as Northwestern’s coach on July 10, 2023, just three days after university president Michael Schill originally suspended him due to allegations from November 2022 of player hazing and sexual assault in that hazing. The law firm doing the investigative work had former Illinois inspector general Maggie Hickey leading the investigation; her findings were that the player accusations were “largely supported by evidence”. After 17 years as its head coach, the former Northwestern player was out the door. He sued Northwestern for $130 million following his firing and eventually settled the legal case in August 2025 ahead of a planned trial. Following his dismissal from Northwestern, Fitzgerald became a parent volunteer for Loyola Academy’s football team; Fitzgerald’s son, Ryan, was the team’s starting quarterback for the 2023 season.
Over the course of 17 seasons leading the Wildcats, Fitzgerald went 110-101. There were 7 seasons of .500 or less, including the final two, 3-9 in 2021 and 1-11 in 2022. It was during the 2022 season that the abuse allegations came out.
But, Fitz had five seasons in which his teams finished third or better in their division, including two western division titles. He took his team to ten bowl games (5-5).
The new MSU coach was a Northwestern playing legend. During his playing career, he was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-time Consensus All-American. He won both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award, the first two-time winner of both. Add to that the Jack Lambert Trophy and you see one reason why he led the Wildcats to a Rose Bowl berth, though he did not play in the game due to a broken leg. Now that would have been truly legendary. The team made a New Year’s Day bowl the following year and he did play in that Citrus Bowl.
His coaching career started as an assistant at Maryland, then moving to Colorado under his former Northwestern coach Gary Barnett. There was a one year stint at Idaho before he returned to Evanston and the defensive staff. There was then the sad and sudden promotion to head coach after the unexpected death of Randy Walker in June 2006.
Rutgers and Michigan State have met 16 times, 11 as conference opponents. This, of course, is the first with Fitzgerald as the Spartan coach. While at Northwestern, though, he was 2-0 vs Rutgers, 1-0 versus Greg Schiano. The last time the two coaches faced each other was in 2021, a 21-7 Wildcat win in Evanston.
Fitzgerald and Michigan State hope that controversy is behind him. MSU itself has had a series of controversies at many levels. Just this past June, the University president resigned, pointing fingers at the Board of Trustees for creating, and revisiting old, issues. It was not that long ago – November 2021 to be specific – that Mel Tucker became one of the highest-paid coaches in college football history, receiving a guaranteed 10-year, $95 million contract from Michigan State. In September 2023, following allegations of sexual harassment, Tucker was fired by the school. And lest we forget, Larry Nasser – thedisgraced gymnastics doctor – worked at MSU when the stories broke about him.
Yes, the folks in East Lansing are looking to Pat Fitzgerald to change the narrative at Michigan State. A few wins would be a good start.