Michigan State could once again find itself on the outside looking in when bowl season arrives this fall. The Spartans are entering a new era under former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who returns to college football with a program that needs significant rebuilding from top to bottom. The roster turnover this offseason has been staggering. A total of 44 players from last year's team entered the transfer portal and have since found new homes. Replacing that volume of departures in a single offseason is an enormous challenge, but Fitzgerald responded by bringing in 31 players through the portal and adding 21 more through the 2026 high school recruiting class. Michigan State's head coach Pat Fitzgerald addresses the team at the end of the football Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.…