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File:SpartanStadium1.jpg

Spartan Stadium, where the Spartans have played since 1923.

This is a list of seasons completed by the Michigan State Spartans football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1885, the Spartans have participated in more than 1,100 officially-sanctioned games, including 21 bowl games.

Michigan State originally competed as a football independent. In 1896, MSU joined the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Spartans then competed independently again from 1907 through 1952. In 1953, MSU joined the Big Ten conference, where it has been a member ever since.[1]

Seasons[]

National Champions[A 1] Conference Champions Bowl game berth Division Champions
Year Coach(es) Conference Conference finish[2] Division finish Record[3][4] Bowl[5] Final ranking
Wins Losses Ties AP
[6]
Coach
[6]
Michigan State Spartans
1885 Unknown Ind 0 1 0
1896 No Coach MIAA 1 2 1
1897 Henry Keep MIAA 4 2 1
1898 MIAA 4 3 0
1899 Charles O. Bemies MIAA 2 4 1
1900 MIAA 1 6 0
1901 George Denman MIAA 3 4 1
1902 MIAA 4 5 0
1903 Chester Brewer MIAA 6 1 1
1904 MIAA 8 1 0
1905 MIAA 10 2 0
1906 MIAA 7 2 2
1907 Ind 4 2 1
1908 Ind 6 0 2
1909 Ind 9 1 0
1910 Ind 6 1 0
1911 John Macklin Ind 5 1 0
1912 Ind 7 1 0
1913 Ind 7 0 0
1914 Ind 5 2 0
1915 Ind 5 1 0
1916 Frank Sommers Ind 4 2 1
1917 Chester Brewer Ind 0 9 0
1918 George Gauthier Ind 4 3 0
1919 Chester Brewer Ind 4 4 1
1920 George Clark Ind 4 6 0
1921 Albert Barron Ind 3 5 0
1922 Ind 3 5 2
1923 Ralph H. Young Ind 3 5 0
1924 Ind 5 3 0
1925 Ind 3 5 0
1926 Ind 3 4 1
1927 Ind 4 5 0
1928 Harry Kipke Ind 3 4 1
1929 Jim Crowley Ind 5 3 0
1930 Ind 5 1 2
1931 Ind 5 3 1
1932 Ind 7 1 0
1933 Charlie Bachman Ind 4 2 2
1934 Ind 8 1 0
1935 Ind 6 2 0
1936 Ind 6 1 2
1937 Ind 8 2 0 Lost 1939 Orange Bowl vs. Auburn, 0-6
1938 Ind 6 3 0
1939 Ind 4 4 1
1940 Ind 3 4 1
1941 Ind 5 3 1
1942 Ind 4 3 2
1944 Ind 6 1 0
1945 Ind 5 3 1
1946 Ind 5 5 0
1947 Clarence Munn Ind 7 2 0
1948 Ind 6 2 2 14
1949 Ind 6 3 0 19
1950 Ind 8 1 0 8 9
1951 Ind 9 0 0 2 2
1952 Ind 9 0 0 1 1
1953 Big Ten T-1st 9 1 0 Won 1954 Rose Bowl vs. UCLA, 28-20 3 3
1954 Duffy Daugherty Big Ten T-8th 3 6 0
1955 Big Ten 2nd 9 1 0 Won 1956 Rose Bowl vs. UCLA, 17-14 2 2
1956 Big Ten T-4th 7 2 0 9 10
1957 Big Ten 2nd 8 1 0 3 3
1958 Big Ten 10th 3 5 1
1959 Big Ten 2nd 5 4 0 16
1960 Big Ten 4th 6 2 1 15 11
1961 Big Ten 3rd 7 2 0 8 9
1962 Big Ten T-5th 5 4 0
1963 Big Ten T-2nd 6 2 1 10 10
1964 Big Ten 6th 4 5 0 20
1965 Big Ten 1st 10 1 0 Lost 1966 Rose Bowl vs. UCLA, 12-14 2 1
1966 Big Ten 1st 9 0 1 2 2
1967 Big Ten T-5th 3 7 0
1968 Big Ten 7th 5 5 0
1969 Big Ten 9th 4 6 0
1970 Big Ten T-5th 4 6 0
1971 Big Ten T-3rd 6 5 0
1972 Big Ten 4th 5 5 1
1973 Denny Stolz Big Ten T-4th 5 6 0
1974 Big Ten 3rd 7 3 1 12 18
1975 Big Ten T-3rd 7 4 0
1976 Darryl Rogers Big Ten T-7th 4 6 1
1977 Big Ten 3rd 7 3 1
1978 Big Ten T-1st 8 3 0 12
1979 Big Ten T-7th 5 6 0
1980 Muddy Waters Big Ten 9th 3 8 0
1981 Big Ten T-6th 5 6 0
1982 Big Ten T-8th 2 9 0
1983 George Perles Big Ten 7th 4 6 1
1984 Big Ten T-6th 6 6 0 Lost 1984 Cherry Bowl vs. Army, 6-10
1985 Big Ten T-4th 7 5 0 Lost 1985 All-American Bowl vs. Georgia Tech, 14-17
1986 Big Ten T-5th 6 5 0
1987 Big Ten 1st 9 2 1 Won 1988 Rose Bowl vs. USC, 20-17 8 8
1988 Big Ten 2nd 6 5 1 Lost 1989 Gator Bowl vs. Georgia, 27-34
1989 Big Ten T-3rd 8 4 0 Won 1989 Aloha Bowl vs. Hawaii, 33-13 16 16
1990 Big Ten T-1st 8 3 1 Won 1990 Sun Bowl vs. USC, 17-16 16 14
1991 Big Ten T-6th 3 8 0
1992 Big Ten 3rd 5 6 0
1993 Big Ten 7th 6 6 0 Lost 1993 Liberty Bowl vs. Louisville, 7-18
1994[A 2] Big Ten T-4th 0 11 0
1995 Nick Saban Big Ten 5th 6 5 1 Lost 1995 Independence Bowl vs. LSU, 26-45
1996 Big Ten T-5th 6 6 -[A 3]
Lost 1996 Sun Bowl vs. Stanford, 0-38
1997 Big Ten T-6th 7 5 - Lost 1997 Aloha Bowl vs. Washington, 23-51
1998 Big Ten 6th 6 6 -
1999 Nick L. Saban, Bobby Williams Big Ten T-2nd 10 2 - Won Citrus Bowl vs. Florida, 37-34 7 7
2000 Bobby Williams Big Ten T-9th 5 6 -
2001 Big Ten T-8th 7 5 - Won 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic vs. Fresno State, 44-35
2002 Bobby Williams, Morris Watts Big Ten T-8th 4 8 -
2003 John L. Smith Big Ten T-4th 8 5 - Lost 2003 Alamo Bowl vs. Nebraska, 3-17
2004 Big Ten T-5th 5 7 -
2005 Big Ten 9th 5 6 -
2006 Big Ten T-10th 4 8 -
2007 Mark Dantonio Big Ten T-7th 7 6 - Lost 2007 Champs Sports Bowl vs. Boston College, 21-24
2008 Big Ten 3rd 9 4 - Lost 2009 Capital One Bowl vs. Georgia, 12-14 24 14
2009 Big Ten T-6th 6 7 - Lost 2010 Alamo Bowl vs. Texas Tech, 31-41
2010 Big Ten T-1st 11 2 - Lost 2011 Capital One Bowl vs. Alabama, 7-49 14 14
2011 Big Ten 2nd 1st 11 3 - Lost 2011 Big Ten Championship Game vs. Wisconsin, 39-42
Won 2012 Outback Bowl vs. Georgia, 33-30 (3OT)
11 10
2012 Big Ten 4th 7 6 0 Won 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl vs. TCU, 17-16
Total 640 434 44 (all games)

Notes[]

  1. Based on championships claimed by Michigan State.[2]
  2. Michigan State forfeited its entire schedule after an academic scandal; record was 5-6 (4-4 Big Ten).[7]
  3. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.[8]

References[]

  1. Michigan State Spartans. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2011 Football Media Guide. Michigan State Official Athletic Site. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  3. Michigan State Spartans Index. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  4. Michigan State Yearly Totals. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  5. Michigan State Bowl History. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Michigan State In the Polls. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  7. Spartans Spared Major Penalties. Associated Press. 17 September 1996. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  8. Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2006-08-24-overtime_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
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