The Brief Pat Fitzgerald is back in the Big Ten, and at Big Ten Football Media Days. Northwestern will see its old leader in Fitzgerald when NU plays Michigan State this year. It was just a bit sooner than Northwestern coach David Braun might have thought. At his first Big Ten Media Days since 2022, Fitzgerald brought the same demeanor that made him so beloved at Northwestern. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 29: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Michigan State Spartans speaks to the media during the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days at Hilton Chicago on July 29, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.