MSU coach Jonathan Smith talks Michigan rivalry, respect for Sherrone Moore
INDIANAPOLIS — New Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith is familiar with in-state rivalries. He won two of six matchups vs. Oregon in his six years as Oregon State head coach and was offensive coordinator at Washington when the Huskies took on Washington State for the Apple Cup from 2014-17, winning all of them.
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His task now is to bring the Spartans back from the abyss and build a competitive program again in a tougher, expanded Big Ten. That means competing with Michigan every year for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, starting this year in Ann Arbor.
“It’s going to be passionate and all those things,” Smith said from Big Ten media day. “I’ve been part of an in-state rivalry really my whole coaching career. I think that’s the great thing about college football — the traditions that go with that. Every game means something, but that game will definitely mean more.”
Smith and Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore spoke for a few minutes at this summer’s Sound Mind Sound Body camp in Detroit. Smith approached him after several college coaches spoke to the campers.
“We don’t have a lot of communication, but I pay respect for what he was contributing to the last few years at that place,” Smith said.
Michigan has dominated Michigan State the last couple years, winning 29-7 in Ann Arbor in 2022 and 49-0 in East Lansing last season. MSU parted ways with coach Mel Tucker before last year’s contest, one the Wolverines owned from start to finish.
Smith is in year one of a rebuild, but he’ll get his first opportunity to coach in the rivalry game when the Spartans travel to Ann Arbor Oct. 26. The Spartans will be coming off a home game with Iowa, while Michigan will have played at Illinois Oct. 19.
“It means a lot,” Smith said when asked what he’s learned of the rivalry. “It’s a state divided — families divided, even — which is common in other rivalries. I’ll go back to it’s a great thing for college football.”
Media picked Michigan to finish 4th in the Big Ten behind Ohio State (21 of 27 first place votes, Oregon, and Penn State. The Spartans were picked to finish 16th, ahead of only Indiana and last place Purdue.
