Michigan State’s football program has received three years of probation and former head coach Mel Tucker was given a show-cause penalty as part of a negotiated resolution with the NCAA over recruiting violations.

Michigan State football made the 2015 College Football Playoff. Ten years later, the Spartans are mired in a decade-long downturn. What happened?

Michigan State football becomes first program since Arizona State to have wins vacated by the NCAA. The Sun Devils vacated 10 wins in 2021-22

The penalties Michigan State agreed to in the negotiated resolution are well defined and include three years of probation, a fine of $30,000 plus 1.5 percent of the annual football budget and recruiting limitations in nearly every way.

The worst part of this mess, of the NCAA putting itself in an awkward enforcement position at the behest of Michigan State officials trying to throw more dirt at Tucker, is one of the 14 games vacated by the Spartans was the 31-7 victory over Central Michigan in the 2023 season opener.