Big Ten Football

The No. 12 Michigan State Spartans are reportedly dealing with a flu outbreak ahead of their home game against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday.

According to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, a source described the outbreak as "pretty bad" and said players on both sides of the ball have been diagnosed with the flu daily leading up to the regular-season finale.

Rittenberg noted that the offensive and defensive lines have been impacted, as has the quarterback group and other positions.

The expectation is that "some" of those battling the flu will likely try to play through the illness as the 9-2 Spartans look to clinch a double-digit-win season.

Per The Action Network (h/t Rittenberg), MSU could be without six to eight starters for Saturday's Big Ten clash.

The Spartans have made big strides this season, posting their best record since going 10-3 in 2017. Michigan State went 7-6 in 2018 and 2019, and went just 2-5 last season, marking its worst winning percentage (.286) since going 3-8 in 1991.

Last season was Mel Tucker's first as head coach of the Spartans after he took over for Mark Dantonio, and this season he has solidified his status as the one to guide Michigan State football into the future.

MSU is so satisfied with the team's 9-2 start that Tucker was given a new 10-year, $95 million contract this week.

Since starting the season 8-0, the Spartans have struggled, posting a 40-29 loss to Purdue and a 56-7 defeat at the hands of No. 2 Ohio State.

Michigan State did score a massive 37-33 win over rival Michigan, however, which represents the Wolverines' only loss of the season entering play Saturday.

Penn State is unranked and is 7-4, but the Nittany Lions own wins over Wisconsin and Auburn and could be a threat to the Spartans on Saturday, especially if MSU is missing some key players.     

The Michigan State Spartans and football head coach Mel Tucker have completed a 10-year, $95 million contract extension, per Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.

Word that the deal is in the works has been in the news for a week. Last Wednesday, Inside the Locker Room podcast hosts Brian Mosallam and Jason Strayhorn (h/t the Detroit Free Press' Chris Solari and David Jesse) reported that MSU alumni Mat Ishbia and Steve St. Andre would provide private funding for the deal. University sources confirmed that news to Solari and Jesse.

Per Charboneau, private funding takes care of the "bulk of the contract."

According to the USA Today college football coach salary database, this deal would make Tucker the second-highest-paid college football coach behind only Alabama's Nick Saban ($9.753 million). Tucker's robust annual average value makes him one of the richest coaches in the country across all American sports.

Michigan State coach Mel Tucker’s new $9.5 million salary makes him one of the 11 highest-paid coaches *in all of American sports* per @Sportico data.

He is tied with Steve Kerr.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 25, 2021

The deal also makes Tucker the highest-paid Black head coach in American sports, per Charboneau.

Tucker's 2021 season is the second year of a five-season deal that would pay him just under $5.5 million per campaign.

Under his guidance, the Spartans went 2-5 last year before bouncing back with a 9-2 overall mark (6-2 Big Ten) this season.

MSU started the 2021 campaign 8-0, earning the No. 3 spot in the initial College Football Playoff ranking. The Spartans have since lost to Purdue, beaten Maryland and fallen to Ohio State, and they rank No. 12 in the nation.

Tucker, who turns 50 years old in January, joined Michigan State after one year at Colorado, where he led the Buffaloes to a 5-7 record. His resume includes stops with three NFL teams as their defensive coordinator (Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars).

He was also an assistant head coach/defensive backs coach for Alabama in 2015 and Georgia's defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2018.

The College Football Playoff rankings after Week 12 were unveiled on Tuesday night. With a little under two weeks before Selection Sunday, there are just a couple more chances left for teams to make an impression on the committee. Here's a look at the top of the rankings leading up to Rivalry Weekend:

1. Georgia (11-0)
2. Ohio State (10-1)
3. Alabama (10-1)
4. Cincinnati (11-0)
5. Michigan (10-1)
6. Notre Dame (10-1)
7. Oklahoma State (10-1) 
8. Baylor (9-2)

The most noteworthy change is Cincinnati finally making it into the Top Four after weeks of appearing to have doubtful CFP hopes. The Bearcats had an impressive 48-14 win over SMU last week, the Mustangs entering that game 8-2. If Cincy wins the AAC title game against a currently 10-1 Houston team on Dec. 4, it's likely that the Bearcats will get a spot. 

This would be historically significant, as it would be the first time in playoff history that a Group of Five team has made it in. 

Speaking of history, the Bearcats' No. 4 ranking is now the highest CFP ranking for a Group of Five team. How awesome is that? Keep in mind last season, Cincy hung tough with Georgia in the Peach Bowl, losing 24-21 on a field goal in the final seconds. If the playoff were to start tomorrow, we'd get a Bearcats-Bulldogs matchup in the first round. 

But there is plenty of room for chaos to happen over the next two weeks. For starters, let's look ahead at the SEC Championship Game between No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Alabama. If Alabama defeats Georgia, both teams would likely make it into the final four. 

But before then, No. 2 Ohio State gets its biggest test, facing No. 5 Michigan on the road. If the Buckeyes win and follow it with a victory in the Big Ten title game, they are obviously in. Same goes for Michigan, if it defeats Ohio State. But what happens if, say, Michigan or Ohio State gets upset in the Big Ten Championship Game? 

That would open the door for a Big 12 champion to make it in. No. 7 Oklahoma State and No. 10 Oklahoma (10-1) play this weekend, and the conference's best chance of getting a playoff team is to have the winner of this game also win the Big 12 title game. If OU wins, there would be a rematch at AT&T Stadium. If Oklahoma State wins, the Sooners will need Texas Tech to defeat Baylor to earn a spot over the Bears, who defeated Oklahoma on Nov. 13.  

But now comes the big question: If Alabama beats Georgia, the Big Ten produces a one-loss champion and Oklahoma State wins out—representing the worst-case scenario for the Bearcats—would Cincinnati get jumped by the Pokes for the No. 4 spot in the final CFP rankings? If Cincy keeps winning big like it has the last couple of weeks, the Bearcats are probably safe inside the Top Four on the strength of their road win over Notre Dame. If Oklahoma State was ranked higher than No. 7 this week, that might be a different story. 

And then there's No. 6 Notre Dame, which has been moving up in the rankings week after week. There is also a scenario for the Fighting Irish to make it in if, say, Cincinnati was to be upset in the AAC Championship Game or at East Carolina this week. 

There's still a lot that can happen this weekend and next in the conference championship games. Chaos hasn't happened much in playoff history. But given that we've already seen a number of upsets this year, this might be the season that chaos reigns.

Penn State head football coach James Franklin has signed a new 10-year contract to remain with the Nittany Lions after being rumored as a candidate for the LSU and USC coaching vacancies.

Stewart Mandel of The Athletic shared the details of Franklin's new deal:

James Franklin's new deal is 10 years at $8.5M per year.

-- $7M salary
-- $500K retention bonus
-- $1M life insurance loan

The school buyout is his full remaining salary + loan.

His buyout if he leaves this year is $12M, $8M next year, $6M in '23.

This is his Jimbo contract.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 23, 2021

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg first reported Tuesday that Franklin's situation is "expected to be settled very soon" as the idea of rebuilding the Tigers' or Trojans' roster wasn't "overly appealing" for the 49-year-old Pennsylvania native. 

In October, Franklin addressed the LSU and USC speculation by pointing to his past actions of staying at Penn State amid rumors of a potential move:

I think I have shown my loyalty to this team, to this program, to this community. I think I've been pretty consistent with that. There's times that you're put in challenging situations, and I just always want to be able, when I say something, it's done, and it's in stone. And when you're talking about the future, that can be challenging at times.

So I am fiercely loyal to Penn State. I am fiercely loyal, most importantly, to these players and the staff. But there's a lot of moving parts with all of these things.

Franklin, who signed a six-year contract extension worth up to $38.2 million in 2019, took over the Nittany Lions in 2014. It marked his second head coaching stint following three years at Vanderbilt.

The 2016 winner of the Woody Hayes Trophy as college football's top coach has guided Penn State to a 67-32 record across eight seasons, but the team's bowl record over that span is 3-3, and it's posted a mediocre 11-9 mark since the start of the 2020 campaign.

Last week, 247Sports' Cooper Petagna reported it was possible Franklin and Penn State were "kind of heading for a mutual departure" with the coach having potentially "maxed it out" in terms of what he could do with the resources available.

While the Nittany Lions' 7-4 record this season doesn't jump off the page, three of their four losses came against teams ranked in the Top Six at the time of the meeting, and the other was a nine-overtime defeat to Illinois. They wrap up the regular season with another tough test against No. 7 Michigan State on the road Saturday.

While they weren't among the nation's elite, they only had one bad loss and scored two wins over ranked opponents in Wisconsin and Auburn. Add in the nation's fifth-ranked recruiting class for 2022 (via 247Sports), and there's reason for optimism.

Rittenberg previously noted Franklin was set to sign an "enhanced contract," but doing so amid rumors is nothing new in the coaching world, and it doesn't eliminate the possibility of a move in the future if a high-profile job were to become available.

I began watching college football because of rivalries. Not for the College Football Playoff (formerly the BCS) or the Silly Season or recruiting or any of the number of nuances that drive this sport.

Like many, I was drawn in by those certain games where hate, respect and passion come together to form an overpowering cocktail that appeals to my senses. 

In college football, there are plenty of games worthy of an outsider's time and appreciation. But there are a select few that seem to separate themselves from all others. 

The process of trying to rank these games is impossible. However, that doesn't mean we won't try anyway.

What is the best rivalry in college football? We asked Bleacher Report readers to give us their picks as rivalry week begins.

The answers were passionate, which should surprise no one. Some were also weird, which should also surprise no one.

Let's dive in.

        

Let There Be Eggs 

User: @kylet

Suggestion: Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss when they are both good

Ah, the Egg Bowl. This is a glorious football delicacy, and I am so thankful it is back on Thanksgiving this year. 

Let's not forget the last time this game was played on Thanksgiving, when the outcome was decided largely after a player—fantastic wideout Elijah Moore—pretended to urinate like a dog in the end zone as the game neared a conclusion.

If you saw it, you will never un-see it. If you didn't, please bask in the weirdness now and report back.

This rivalry is very personal. The hate is very real. It's also been very even in recent years, which is not something many other rivalries can say of late.

Since 2000, Ole Miss has 11 wins. Mississippi State has 10.  

Strange things happen in this game, which makes it a quality recommendation for this piece. And with Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach going head-to-head with really solid teams, I am particularly thrilled about the 2021 installment.

It probably doesn't get the national attention it deserves or needs to be the biggest rivalry game. But I find it delightful and implore you to consume this year's edition (and every edition).

       

Deep-Fried Everything

User: @Prophet2005

Response: OU-Texas, and it's not even close

At this exact moment, Oklahoma-Texas feels, well, different. 

Oklahoma's had a weird year. Texas has had a disastrous year. And the game these two played earlier in the fall, as wild and exciting as it was, feels like a distant memory. 

But the wonderful thing about rivalries is they aren't born overnight, and the animosity between these two teams has been built up over time. That said, it speaks to how much respect and appreciation there still is when you consider they jointly left the Big 12 for the SEC. 

They did that together. Because the show between the two, regardless of conference, must go on. 

The Red River Showdown—aka the Red River Shootout—features two enormous brands playing together in a venue that is filled with fried food and emotion. The setting is a huge part of what makes this game special, and it is indeed very special.

While Texas has a 62-50-5 advantage in the series, Oklahoma has been dominant of late. The Sooners have won six of the past seven. Most games have been spectacular in recent years, but Oklahoma has just been slightly more spectacular.

This is a wonderful game, and I think it's a top-four rivalry in the sport. The fact that it's played earlier in the year makes it unique; it also might take away some of the late-season steam other games get. 

But don't change a thing unless you have to, Texas and Oklahoma. We like you just the way you are.

      

The Power of Iron

User: @NotDannyRic

Response: AUBURN VS ALABAMA, y'all just don't know 

Oh, I do.

Well, sorta.

I have spent more time in Tuscaloosa than any other college town over the past five years, and I can safely say this gentleman isn't wrong. I didn't grow up with the Iron Bowl, but I have witnessed its powers. And they are significant.

The Kick-Six is now closing in on being a decade old, and that play still feels so very fresh. I can still hear, "Auburn's gonna win the football game!" every time I think about how surreal this outcome was. 

(Also, RIP to the late Rod Bramblett, who narrated this moment perfectly.) 

It's one of the most unbelievable plays in college football history, and it's just a small piece of Iron Bowl lore. While Alabama has won nine of the last 13, largely because of Nick Saban's arrival, Auburn's victories in this stretch are all memorable. 

There is so much history baked into these two programs, and I'm not sure there is a bigger feeling in the sport than when both teams are really good. Even when they're not, this rivalry feels almost infinite.

You are born into it, grow your love for your own team, and mold your hatred for the other. It is timeless. 

When I think of college football, I think of rivalries just like this one. It is why we watch.

       

Let There be Bedlam 

User: @brianjeffers

Response: Bedlam 

For whatever reason, I have always been engrossed in this series. (Well, I could watch Hawai'i play an FCS team at like 3 a.m. on a random weekday, so maybe I'm not the best barometer.)

But Bedlam is wonderful. It's a perfect name for a college football rivalry, and it features two programs that seem to genuinely not care for the other. 

That goes for the fanbases as well. In fact, that especially goes for the fanbases.

The name of the rivalry was actually born out of wrestling, and the description outlines just how intense those matches were. In football, Bedlam has largely been one-sided. There is no other way to shape it. 

The Sooners have a 90-18-7 edge. I suppose "edge" doesn't quite cut it. Also, Oklahoma has won six in a row. 

You could make an argument that a team having that big of advantage over the other makes it less of a rivalry, and I can't really argue with that thesis. But the emotions, successes and disappointments attached are very real, and I can feel those even when those emotions are expected. 

As for this year, Oklahoma State is favored over its rival. This is not something that has happened regularly. The Pokes have won this game only twice since 2003, which makes this year's installment that much more interesting.

Also of interest is what happens to this rivalry when Oklahoma leaves the Big 12. It sounds like they will attempt to keep this game alive—hopefully annually. This is a game that cannot and shouldn't get the Texas A&M-Texas treatment. 

We need Bedlam. 

I imagine Oklahoma State fans will voice their opinions on this matter, this individual game and this lopsided series come next weekend. Cannot wait.

        

Go Army. Go Navy.

User: @AcesAnd8s

Response: Army vs. Navy. Enough said.

Honestly, I'm good with this answer as is.

Enough said.

This game is where life and football intersect. And while we can talk about all of the emotion that goes into football games and rivalries, the emotions and responses that emerge when these two teams play is unrivaled. 

It's not just the players. It's those in attendance in uniform. It's the anxiety that everyone feels when the football game begins—or when it's close at the end. 

It's the respect that everyone playing, attending and watching has for what is taking place. 

A little history lesson for some: Army and Navy have been playing since 1890. These two teams used to factor into national championship discussions. They were a significant part of the game's growth over an extended period of time. 

While that is largely not the case now, this particular game now has its own weekend: Army-Navy play the Saturday after conference championships are decided, and I could not love this individual showcase any more.

This game is in its own category of brilliance. It's a rivalry by itself. We simply cannot compare it to another game, because there is nothing like it.

      

The Game

User: @fore7144

Response: Ohio State-Michigan because of the longevity and so many games with national championships on the line. 

This is the answer. I'm going to remove Army-Navy from this discussion, because it's really its own genre of rivalry.  

When I think of college football, I think of Michigan and Ohio State playing a game around lunchtime a few days after Thanksgiving. The weather, the teams, the history, the stakes, the animosity all hit me differently depending on the year.  

Fall into a rabbit hole while exploring this series, and you'll come across legendary coaches, players and performances. It is almost overwhelming, and I mean this in the best possible way.

Granted, I come from Big Ten country. I need to put that bias out in the open, although I'd like to believe I maintain a neutral stance.  

Most Saturdays are simply better the further South you travel for a football game. But this rivalry—a rivalry so big we know it as The Game—just plays the right notes. It was also the most popular answer in the comments (for whatever that is worth). 

As for the game itself, it has not been kind to Michigan of late. That's probably putting it nicely.

Since returning to Ann Arbor, Jim Harbaugh has yet to beat Ohio State. The Wolverines have won this game just once since 2004. Woof. 

Michigan still holds a 58-52-6 edge, although that gap has shrunk significantly. In a few years, if things don't change, Ohio State will be in front.

As for this year's version, well, the stakes couldn't be much greater. Ohio State and Michigan are both vying for a Big Ten Championship, and the winner will appear in the Big Ten title game. 

That winner will also keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive. C.J. Stroud, after last weekend's brilliant performance, is also trying to win another Heisman for the Buckeyes. 

Not every rivalry game impacts the national picture all too much. In fact, most don't. That is not the case this week.  

Although even if that wasn't the case, I would still be consumed by everything this rivalry has to offer.

Michigan running back Blake Corum is giving back to the community, using his NIL money to donate turkeys in the city of Ypsilanti.

Michigan running back Blake Corum used his NIL money to purchase turkeys distributed today in two Ypsilanti communities in what he calls “Giving Back 2 Give Thanks” pic.twitter.com/bXSPKagiUS

— angelique (@chengelis) November 21, 2021

Supply chain issues have led to a massive rise in cost for turkeys ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, leaving some families unable to afford the traditional bird. 

Several athletes have been using NIL funds to give back to their communities throughout the 2021 season. It's unlikely that Corum will be the only player helping make the holidays better for lower-income families. 

Ohio State needed to make a big statement to crush any doubts it was worthy of a College Football Playoff spot. Well, the Buckeyes did that and then some against No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday, winning 56-7 at home. 

No. 4 OSU entered the day as a 19.5-point favorite, and although the number seemed a bit high, the Bucks not only covered that, but they also defeated Sparty by 49 points. It wasn't just a statement, it was an absolute drubbing with an exclamation point that gives the Buckeyes all the momentum they need nearing the end of the season.

As highly anticipated as this Big Ten East matchup was, this game felt pretty much over in the first quarter.

OSU took a 21-0 lead after a 43-yard touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud to Chris Olave with 2:31 left in the opening frame. And the Buckeyes didn't let up from there—they took a 42-0 lead with 7:01 left in the first half. They added another touchdown late in the second quarter to go to the locker room with a 49-0 cushion. 

This version of Ohio State stood in stark contrast to the team we saw earlier in the year. That iteration was surrounded by plenty of questions regarding just how good it could be, and for good reason. The Bucks had just 11 total starters returning on both sides of the ball, including five on offense. Notable departures included big names such as quarterback Justin Fields and running back Trey Sermon. 

Stepping in at the No. 1 QB spot was the redshirt freshman Stroud. Although he was a 4-star prospect in high school, getting the starting job at OSU is a different ballgame. 

He threw an interception in each of his first three starts, including one in the final minutes of OSU's 35-28 loss to Oregon on Sept. 11, the program's first home defeat since 2017. Although the Buckeyes kept winning after the Oregon loss, they didn't look all that dominating as the season went on. 

Most notably, the Buckeyes had close wins against Penn State on Oct. 30 and a below-.500 Nebraska on Nov. 6 in Lincoln. Stroud threw a career-high two interceptions against the Cornhuskers in an unconvincing 26-17 win. 

But in the last couple of weeks, Ohio State garnered a pair of statement wins. Last Saturday, the Buckeyes played a Purdue team that was coming off an upset victory over then-No. 3 Michigan State. Ohio State routed the Boilermakers 59-31 and had a 28-point lead at halftime. 

Against Michigan State, Ohio State put up 655 total yards, most of those coming in the air. Stroud had 432 passing yards and a career-high six touchdowns. Receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson had two touchdown receptions apiece in the first half alone. 

Still, Buckeyes' playoff berth isn't solidified just yet.

Ahead for Ohio State is the regular-season finale against the No. 6 Michigan Wolverines. Next Saturday, OSU will go on the road to face Jim Harbaugh and a 9-1 Michigan that also has legitimate playoff chances—its lone loss coming to Michigan State on the road on Oct. 30. 

As my colleague Adam Kramer pointed out last week, Michigan appears to be avoiding the failures of a typical Harbaugh-guided Wolverines team. Coming from behind twice to win a close game on the road against Penn State last week may hint that this Wolverines team just might be different. At the very least, it shows it has earned the right to be in the playoff conversation. 

But as we look ahead to Ohio State-Michigan, there is one glaring fact regarding The Game: the streak. Michigan hasn't beaten Ohio State since 2011, long before Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor in 2015.

Not to mention the fact that OSU has won the last three games in this rivalry by an average of 21 points—a combined 52 in the last two meetings. 

But this Michigan team does feel different. Wolverine quarterback Cade McNamara is leading one of the most productive Wolverine offenses Harbaugh has had in his seven seasons in Ann Arbor. They were also eighth in the nation in total defense heading into Saturday and giving up just 16.1 points per game, which was ranked fourth. Win this one, and it's on to the Big Ten title game Dec. 4 for OSU.

One thing's for certain after the last two weeks: The Buckeyes continue to trend way up as they make a crystal clear case to the playoff committee.

            

Recruit rankings via 247Sports. 

Amid rumors about his future with Penn State football, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin said he is "not going anywhere" while speaking at the State College Quarterback Club on Wednesday, per Neil Rudel of the Altoona Mirror. 

Recent reports have linked Franklin to USC as the school looks to replace Clay Helton, who was fired in September. 

Franklin has been head coach of the Nittany Lions since 2014. He also coached the Vanderbilt Commodores from 2011-13. The 49-year-old is 66-32 at Penn State and has one Big Ten title, a win in the Fiesta Bowl and Cotton Bowl. 

Penn State is 6-4 this season. The Nittany Lions got out to a 5-0 start before losing to Iowa, Illinois and Ohio State. They defeated Maryland after those three straight defeats but lost to Michigan on Saturday. 

Franklin has addressed his future with Penn State several times this season, most recently during his weekly press conference Tuesday, via 247Sports:

"We've been in the same situation before, and we've had really strong seasons. I think you're also in a situation, obviously, this year where we've lost some games that we had a chance to win and our record looks a little bit different. So I get people are trying to connect the dots. All the things that I'm able to control, I'm controlling. But I get it. I understand the business. I understand people's concerns.

"Again, I would just say, looking at my my track record over my time here — eight years — my actions and my behaviors. I think have been consistent since I've been here."

In addition to USC, Franklin has been linked to LSU. The Tigers are parting ways with head coach Ed Orgeron at the end of the 2021 season. Lincoln Riley and Jimbo Fisher have also been linked to the LSU job, among others.  

Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is set to sign a historic 10-year, $95 million contract extension, per Chris Solari and David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press, and says he never intended to use the program as a steppingstone toward a more prominent position.

"I made it clear in my initial press conferences that I thought that Michigan State was a destination job and not a steppingstone," Tucker told The Draymond Green Show. "Obviously, I have Big Ten roots. ... This is where I started my career in 1997 as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban, so Michigan State is a special place for me. It was never my intention to come here and just pass through."

The contract extension would make Tucker college football's second-highest-paid coach behind Nick Saban.

"He's a veritable magician," board member Rema Vassar said of Tucker, per Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News. "He's come through, and we have seen unprecedented increases in student applications after his wins. He has rejuvenated us, our alumni and donors. He brought us back from COVID and united us. We want to keep the momentum going."

Tucker is 11-6 in two seasons at Michigan State, including a 9-1 mark in 2021. The Spartans sit seventh in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into Saturday's game against fourth-ranked Ohio State. Michigan State has not made the playoff since 2015 and finished outside the Top 25 in four of the last five years.

The long-term commitment from the Spartans is a bit surprising given Tucker is in just his third season as a head coach, two of which were losing campaigns. He spent one season at Colorado, going 5-7 in 2019, before arriving in East Lansing. 

Mel Tucker's success with Michigan State in 2021 has put him in a prime position to potentially get a lucrative raise. 

Per Chris Solari and David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press, Michigan State is preparing a 10-year, $95 million contract extension for the 49-year-old. 

This comes after ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported last month that Tucker was considered a candidate to replace Ed Orgeron as LSU's head coach.

Tucker, who was a defensive backs coach on Nick Saban's staff at LSU in 2000, has brushed aside any questions about the Tigers rumors. 

"My focus is on the upcoming game against the school down the road," Tucker told reporters on Oct. 25. "That's where my concentration and my focus is, and I really appreciate you understanding that."

Solari and Jesse noted the extension will make Tucker the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten with an average annual salary of $9.5 million. 

Per Asher Low of Badgers Wire, Ohio State's Ryan Day is currently the highest-paid head coach in the conference with a $6,614,693 salary in 2021. 

Tucker got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant with Michigan State in 1997 when Saban was with the program. He bounced around between college and the NFL, including a five-game stint as interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011. 

After going 5-7 in his lone season with the Buffaloes, Tucker resigned in order to take the same job at Michigan State. He has led the Spartans to a 9-1 record this season. They are No. 7 in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into Saturday's marquee matchup with Ohio State.