Michigan State football gets three-year probation, 14 wins forfeited from recent seasons

The NCAA placed Michigan State's football program on three years of probation following violations committed by former staff members during Mel Tucker's tenure, officials announced. The program also must vacate 14 wins from the past three seasons, including all five victories from the 2024 season, Jonathan Smith's first year as coach, according to ESPN.

The NCAA found that Tucker and his former staff failed to properly oversee the program, resulting in violations involving three ineligible players. Investigators determined that staff arranged impermissible recruiting inducements and benefits, covered unofficial visit expenses and engaged in improper contact with recruits.

In addition to vacating wins, Michigan State must pay $30,000 plus 1.5% of the football program's budget, which was $58.6 million for the 2024 season, per ESPN. The sanctions also include restrictions on official and unofficial visits, recruiting communications, recruiting-person days and off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations over the three-year probation period.

Tucker, former general manager Saeed Khalif and former assistant coach Brandon Jordan received show-cause orders, which bar them from coaching in college until the penalties expire. Tucker was given a three-year order for failing to adequately monitor the program, while Khalif and Jordan received six- and five-year orders, respectively, for knowingly providing impermissible recruiting inducements.

In a joint statement, Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz and athletic director J. Batt said the university pursued a negotiated resolution to minimize penalties on current athletes and staff, who were not involved in the violations.

"Today's announcement brings closure to an NCAA investigation resulting from violations committed by a previous staff," the statement read. "With this matter behind us, we are able to move forward, focusing on the present and future of Spartan football."

Michigan State fired Tucker for cause in 2023 amid unrelated sexual harassment allegations. Meanwhile, Smith is in his second season as Michigan State's coach, with an 8-13 record prior to the vacated wins -- five of which came during the 2024 season. Three of those victories were Big Ten games. The Spartans (3-6), lost all six of their conference games this season, leaving Smith technically winless against Big Ten opponents at Michigan State.