NCAA Places Michigan State Football on Three-Year Probation for Violations

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State football is on three years of probation after the NCAA announced violations tied to former coach Mel Tucker‘s tenure. The announcement came Wednesday as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA.

The NCAA found that three ineligible players participated in games, leading the Spartans to vacate 14 wins from the previous three seasons, including five from last year under current coach Jonathan Smith. A Michigan State spokesperson confirmed that all ineligible players are no longer with the program.

As a penalty, Michigan State will pay a fine of $30,000 plus 1.5% of its football budget, which was $58.6 million in 2024. Additionally, the program will face recruiting restrictions. These include fewer home game official visits and a total of 30 fewer days for permissible recruiting communications through the 2027 season.

The NCAA penalized Mel Tucker, former general manager Saeed Khalif, and assistant coach Brandon Jordan with show-cause orders for their roles in the violations. Tucker received a three-year order, while Khalif and Jordan received six- and five-year orders respectively for providing impermissible recruiting benefits, totaling about $10,764.

Michigan State athletics officials stated they worked to resolve the matter to minimize penalties on current players. In a joint statement, President Kevin Guskiewicz and Athletic Director J Batt emphasized their commitment to compliance and integrity.

Michigan State has struggled in recent seasons, finishing with a losing record each year from 2022 to 2024. Tucker was dismissed in 2023 amid sexual harassment allegations unrelated to the NCAA violations.

The university expressed disappointment over the vacation of records but acknowledged the need to move forward. The program aims to focus on the future and uphold higher standards of integrity.