Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith leaves the field after the Spartans loss to Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

MSU Fans Shocked By Latest Recruiting Battle

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Nov 6, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Sitting at 3-6 (0-6), Michigan State football fans are sure glad it's basketball season. With three games remaining, including a ranked battle against No. 20 Iowa, the Spartans' outlook to make a bowl game is slim. There's still a chance they win out, but that's hard for MSU fans to believe after they've lost six straight.

A 3-0 start to the season means little to nothing now that the team is where they are. Head coach Jonathan Smith has lost all control, and he's losing out on recruits left and right. A three-star wide receiver recently cancelled his visit, and now the Spartans are battling it out with Eastern Michigan to land a recruit.

Eastern Michigan vs. Michigan State Battle

Michigan State and Eastern Michigan getting Hutchinson Community College DL Darius Wiley on official visits this week.

6’7, 255-lb Kentucky native.https://t.co/WA16PKbLaL pic.twitter.com/SIEH2gtz7n
— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) November 3, 2025

The only school in Michigan that should be competing with MSU is the Wolverines. Clearly, those days are behind the Spartans. Now, Michigan State is in a neck-and-neck battle for Darius Wiley that includes him visiting the Spartans a few days after his Eastern Michigan visit is completed. Safe to say, fans aren't happy.

"We are fighting Eastern for recruits. It's never been so over," one fan wrote. To put things into perspective, Eastern is 2-7 (1-4 MAC). Their lone wins are against 3-6 Louisiana and 2-6 Northern Illinois.

This can’t be a real post
— Bloch (@Andrew_Bloch) November 4, 2025

This individual commented, "Michigan State is an embarrassment." That hasn't always been the case, but lately, fans are fed up with this team and believe they've hit rock bottom.

"Sparty battling Eastern for recruits is probably why the program is as it is under Jonathan Smith," someone commented. "He should have never left Corvallis." Another added, "We're done just knock down the stadium."

Jonathan Smith pic.twitter.com/GkyTWQHnaU
— Carson Cooper’s GF #1 Hater ❌ (@CanadianYinzer) November 3, 2025

The comments kept pouring in, "Oh it's over over," as someone jokingly stated, "Recruiting starting to heat up," with the fire emoji. Another sarcastic comment added, "This would be a huge recruiting win for the Spartans! With the momentum of back to back covers, Coach Smith has the program headed in the right direction!"

"Great company to be in," one fan wrote as another commented, "So sad." Embarrassed comments continued to roll in, "MSU recruiting like a true MAC level team. Embarrasing."

What a joke. Now we are competing for JUCO players with EMU. WTF JBATT!
— Jay Bell (@JayBell97853014) November 3, 2025

Whether MSU wins this recruiting battle or not, all of their attention is on November 15. Coming off the Bye, Michigan State has a chance to save the season with a win over 3-5 Penn State.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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