Mel Tucker has been putting together a powerful team at Michigan State. The Spartans are firmly in the College Football Playoff mix this season, with a couple of tough games yet to come.

His name was being brought up in connection with the LSU opening, but new reports suggest Tucker is on the verge of a massive contract to remain in East Lansing.

Based on his comments to Michigan State alum Draymond Green on “The Draymond Green Show” this week, it sure sounds like Tucker is staying put:

“I came here, and I made it clear in my initial press conferences that I thought Michigan State was a destination job and not a stepping stone,” Tucker said. “Obviously, I have Big Ten roots. I played at Wisconsin. I’m from Cleveland, Ohio, and my parents are 3 hours and 15 minutes away. My wife is from Chicago. I know the Big Ten landscape. This is where I started my career in 1997 as a graduate assistant for Nick Saban, so Michigan State is a special place to me.

“It was never my intention to come here and just pass through. I believe that we are building something special here and I have tremendous support here to do that, and we are on the right track.”

Can the Spartans make a late push to crack the Playoff top 4? We’ll find out soon enough!