Bartholomae promises more resources for Fitzgerald at Michigan State

What Happened

On Wednesday, Michigan State athletic director Dan Bartholomae said the school would provide first-year coach Pat Fitzgerald with more football resources despite a three-game losing streak. “Football must be resourced to be competitive immediately, and they will be,” Bartholomae wrote in a letter to alumni, students and donors. The need is visible on a thin roster. Running back Cam Edwards is out for the season, and linebacker Jordan Hall has missed two games with separate injuries. Michigan State is 2-3 after going 4-8 overall and 1-8 in the Big Ten in 2025. The Spartans lost 27-10 at Notre Dame on Sept. 19, 31-13 to Nebraska on Sept. 26 and 31-3 at Wisconsin on Oct. 3. Those opponents had a combined 14-1 record through that stretch, while Michigan State struggled to create explosive plays and prevent sacks. Bartholomae had already said after the Notre Dame loss that he believed Michigan State had a strong coach for the future. Joe and Julie Serra gave Michigan State $10 million to help upgrade Spartan Stadium, but the school has not detailed how or when the additional football resources for Fitzgerald will arrive. Fitzgerald said July 29 that the program’s financial direction had been paused while Michigan State searched for an athletic director. The school hired Bartholomae on Aug. 17 after J Batt left for Kentucky. Michigan State hosts Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 10. Tom Izzo, the longtime basketball coach, also backed Fitzgerald at Big Ten basketball media day. “I think you're gonna see Pat Fitzgerald – you know, we've struggled a little bit lately – but he's gonna get it done there. I have no ifs, ands or buts about that. And being the big football fan I am, I hope he gets it,” Izzo said Thursday.

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