Elite company: Mel Tucker joins Nick Saban as only MSU head coaches to accomplish this feat

For some, it might have been a little early to dismiss Mel Tucker as the new Michigan State coach.

After a disastrous debut against Rutgers, Tucker’s Spartan squad rebounded in a big way as Michigan State downed its in-state rival 27-24.

This was obviously Tucker’s first time playing Michigan as the head coach of the Spartans. By winning his first matchup against the Wolverines, Tucker joins some pretty elite company.

From @ESPNStatsInfo:  Mel Tucker joins Nick Saban (1995) as the only #MichiganState head coaches to defeat Michigan in his first game against the Wolverines at the school.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) October 31, 2020

While Saban didn’t exactly become the name that he is work his work in East Lansing, I think any college football coach would like to be included in the same sentence as Saban.

Beyond beating the Wolverines in his first try, Tucker made more history by getting win No. 1 against Michigan.

Mel Tucker also is the first MSU coach to ever record his first victory against Michigan.

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) October 31, 2020

That’s a whole lot of history right there in just one win. It’s certainly what Michigan State fans and Tucker needed after that bad performance in Week 1.