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Michigan State Spartans football
Current season
First season	1896
Athletic director	Mark Hollis
Head coach	Mark Dantonio
	2nd year, 16–10  (.615)
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium (East Lansing)
Stadium capacity	75,005
Stadium surface	Grass
Location	East Lansing, Michigan
Conference	Big Ten
All-time record	592–403–44 (.591)
Postseason bowl record	7–12–0
Claimed national titles	6
Conference titles	6
Heisman winners	0
Consensus All-Americans	27[1]
Current uniform
Colors	Green and White
Fight song	MSU Fight Song
Mascot	Sparty
Marching band	Spartan Marching Band
Rivals	Michigan Wolverines Notre Dame Fighting Irish Penn State Nittany Lions Indiana Hoosiers
Website	MSUSpartans.com

The Michigan State Spartans football program competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State has won or shared a total of 6 national championships (1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, and 1966), two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships (1903 and 1905), and 6 Big Ten championships (1953, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1987, and 1990). Currently 24 former Spartans are playing in the NFL.^[2]

Today, the team competes in Spartan Stadium, a 75,005 person football stadium in the center of campus, though frequently the stadium holds more than 80,000 spectators. Michigan State hired Mark Dantonio on November 27, 2006 as head coach. MSU's traditional archrival is the University of Michigan, against whom they compete for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Michigan State is one of three Big Ten teams to have an annual non-conference football game against the University of Notre Dame. The Spartans also share a rivalry with Penn State University, against whom they compete for the Land Grant Trophy, with the game being the final contest for both teams during the Big Ten Conference regular season.

[edit] History

1913 Michigan Agricultural College (MSU) vs Michigan

Starting as a club sport in 1884, football gained varsity status in 1896.^[3] During the 1950s when Detroit was known as the world's leading automobile manufacturer, Michigan State was often referred to as the nation's "football factory."^{[citation needed]} It was then that the Spartans churned out such impressive models as Lynn Chandnois, Dorne Dibble, Don McAulliffe, Tom Yewcic, Sonny Grandelius, Bob Carey, Don Coleman, Earl Morrall and Dean Look. In 1951, the Spartans finished undefeated and untied to claim a share of the national championship with Tennessee.

Early teams at the then Michigan Agricultural College (MAC) competed in the Michigan Collegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) that was chartered in 1888 and it's currently the oldest of all collegiate leagues in the United States. Previously in 1884, Albion College and MSU (then MAC) had played in the first Intercolligiate Football game held within the State of Michigan. The MIAA's other charter members included Albion, Olivet and Hillsdale Colleges. The Association's first season of competitive football was in 1894 which by then also included Eastern Michigan University (then Michigan Normal School) and Alma College; Kalamazoo College was added in 1896. In those early years the MAC Aggies could only accomplish one outright league football championship (1905) and share another with Albion (1903). The first decade of the 20th Century generally saw the MIAA and MAC being dominated by either Albion or Olivet Colleges. MSU left the league and became an Independent in 1907.

The team was admitted into the Big Ten as a regular member in 1953. They promptly went on to capture the league championship (losing only one game during the season) and beating UCLA in their first Rose Bowl game. After the 1953 season Biggie Munn, the Spartan coach, turned the team over to his protégé Duffy Daugherty. The team won the Rose Bowl in 1954, 1956, and 1988.

From the creation of Division I-AA (now called Division I FCS) in 1978 through the 2008 season, Michigan State never played a I-AA/FCS opponent, holding out longer in doing so than all but four other FBS schools.^[4] The Spartans ended their streak by opening the 2009 season against FCS member Montana State.

[edit] Head coach

On November 27, 2006, Mark Dantonio was hired from the University of Cincinnati to become Michigan State's new head coach. Dantonio served as an assistant coach at Michigan State from 1995-2000. Dantonio was Ohio State's defensive coordinator during their 2002 national championship season.^[5] He was also an assistant at Kansas and Youngstown State University.

[edit] Stadiums

Until the 1920s, Michigan State's football team played on Old College Field just northwest of the current stadium. In the early 1920s school officials decided to construct a new stadium to replace Old College Field. College Field, the future Spartan Stadium was ready in the fall of 1923 with a capacity of 14,000. Over the years the stadium grew. In 1935 the seating capacity was increased to 26,000 and the facility was dedicated as Macklin Field. By 1957, upper decks were added to the east and west ends, boosting the capacity to 76,000. That same season Michigan State dropped the name Macklin Stadium in favor of Spartan Stadium.^[6]

[edit] Corner Blitz

Corner Blitz

The Corner Blitz was the name of a section of students at Michigan State University football home games at Spartan Stadium. The Corner Blitz was only a section of the student seats, which as a whole included sections immediately to the east of the Corner Blitz as well as the southernmost sections on the east upper deck. Although Corner Blitz season tickets cost more than regular student season tickets, advantages included receiving a Corner Blitz t-shirt and priority entrance to the game. It was originally formed in 2000 as Bobby's World (named after former Michigan State football coach Bobby Williams). Following Williams' firing in 2002, the section's name was changed to Corner Blitz.

Corner Blitz was affiliated with the Izzone, as it was also sponsored by the Michigan State Student Alumni Foundation.

Following John L. Smith's firing in 2006, the Corner Blitz was united with the normal student section under the new coach, Mark Dantonio. The entire student section now receives a special t-shirt.

[edit] Logos and uniforms

Michigan State's uniform combinations

After the addition of luxury boxes and club seating in 2004-2005 the capacity of the stadium grew from 72,027 to 75,005, making it the Big Ten's fifth largest stadium.^{[citation needed]} Spartan Stadium is so loud that Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus (1960) uses a recording of the crowd noise during the 1959 Michigan State-Notre Dame game.^{[citation needed]} For the 2007 football season the student section had around 13,000 members.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Records

[edit] All-Time record

As of December 9, 2007, Michigan State's all-time win/loss/tie record is 598-405-4.

[edit] National Championships

Michigan State has won six national championships. Three of which are consensus national championships after being declared the national champion by the AP and Coaches Polls in 1952, the Coaches Poll in 1965 and the National Football Foundation in 1966 ^[7].

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl 1951 Biggie Munn Helms 9-0-0 1952 Biggie Munn AP, Coaches Poll, Helms, National Championship Foundation, United Press 9-0-0 1955 Duffy Daugherty Boand 9-1-0 Won Rose 1957 Duffy Daugherty Billingsley, National Championship Foundation 8-1-0 1965 Duffy Daugherty Coaches Poll, Football Writers Association, Helms, United Press 10-1-0 Lost Rose 1966 Duffy Daugherty Helms, National Football Foundation, College Football Researchers Association 9-0-1 National championships claimed 6 [edit] Big Ten Championships 1953, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1987, 1990 [edit] Bowl Games [8] Date Bowl W/L Opponent PF PA January 1, 1938 Orange L Auburn 0 6 January 1, 1954 Rose W UCLA 28 20 January 2, 1956 Rose W UCLA 17 14 January 1, 1966 Rose L UCLA 12 14 December 22, 1984 Cherry L Army 6 10 December 31, 1985 Hall of Fame Classic L Georgia Tech 14 17 January 1, 1988 Rose W USC 20 17 January 1, 1989 Gator L Georgia 27 34 December 25, 1989 Aloha W Hawaii 33 13 December 31, 1990 John Hancock W USC 17 16 December 28, 1993 Liberty L Louisville 7 18 December 29, 1995 Independence L LSU 26 45 December 31, 1996 Sun L Stanford 0 38 December 25, 1997 Aloha L Washington 23 51 January 1, 2000 Citrus W Florida 37 34 December 31, 2001 Silicon Valley Classic W Fresno State 44 35 December 29, 2003 Alamo L Nebraska 3 17 December 28, 2007 Champs Sports L Boston College 21 24 January 1, 2009 Capital One L Georgia 12 24 Total 19 Bowl Games 7-12 347 447 [edit] Trophy Games Land Grant Trophy - Penn State Nittany Lions The Land Grant Trophy is named so because both Penn State University and Michigan State University are the nation's oldest land-grant universities, both founded in 1855 (Michigan State on February 12 and Penn State on February 22).[citation needed] Since Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference in 1993, the Nittany Lions and Spartans have played each other for the trophy in the last week of conference play. The trophy, designed by former Michigan State coach George Perles, features pictures of Penn State's Old Main and Michigan State's Beaumont Tower. Current series: Penn State leads 12-4 but all-time is PSU 14 MSU 12 with 1 tie Megaphone Trophy - Notre Dame Fighting Irish The Megaphone Trophy is awarded each year to the winner of the football game between the University of Notre Dame and Michigan State University. The rivalry includes games such as the Game of the Century, arguably the greatest college football game ever played. Notre Dame currently leads the all-time series 45-27-1. Old Brass Spittoon - Indiana Hoosiers The Old Brass Spittoon is presented to the winner of the Indiana-Michigan State football game. First presented in 1950, it was Michigan State's idea to start up the trophy[citation needed] and Indiana quickly accepted. Michigan State currently leads the all-time series 40-12-1. Paul Bunyan Trophy - Michigan Wolverines The Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State University Spartans. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game. Michigan State currently trails the trophy series (which only dates back to 1953) 34-21-2, and the overall series 67-30-5. [edit] Biggest Comeback in NCAA History Biggest Comeback in NCAA History Michigan State Spartans Northwestern Wildcats (4-4) (2-6) 41 38 Head coach:  John L. Smith Head coach:  Pat Fitzgerald 1 2 3 4 Total Michigan State 3 0 14 24 41 Northwestern 7 17 14 0 38 Date October 21, 2006 Stadium Ryan Field Location Evanston, Illinois The 2006 edition of the Michigan State Spartans / Northwestern Wildcats football game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA history. The Michigan State Spartans, after falling behind to the Wildcats 38-3 with 9:54 remaining in the 3rd quarter, rallied to score 38 unanswered points to defeat the Wildcats 41-38. Main article: 2006 Michigan State vs. Northwestern football game [edit] Game of the Century The "Game of the Century" (1966 version) Notre Dame Fighting Irish Michigan State Spartans (8-0) (9-0) 10 10 Head coach:  Ara Parseghian Head coach:  Duffy Daugherty AP Coaches 1 1 AP Coaches 2 2 1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 7 0 3 10 Michigan State 7 3 0 0 10 Date November 19, 1966 Stadium Spartan Stadium Location East Lansing, Michigan Main article: 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game The 1966 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame football game ("The Game of the Century") remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, games in college football history.[9] The game was played in Michigan State's Spartan Stadium on November 19, 1966. Michigan State entered the contest 9-0 and ranked #2, while Notre Dame entered the contest 8-0 and ranked #1. Notre Dame elected not to try for the endzone on the final series, thus the game ended in a 10-10 tie with both schools recording national championships.[10][11] [edit] Awards [edit] Players Maxwell Award Brad Van Pelt[12] - 1972 Fred Biletnikoff Award Charles Rogers[13] - 2002 Dick Butkus Award Percy Snow - 1989 Lombardi Award Percy Snow[14] - 1989 Outland Trophy Ed Bagdon - 1949 Chicago Tribune Silver Football Eric Allen - 1971 Larry Bethea - 1977 Lorenzo White - 1987 [edit] Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Duffy Daugherty - 1965 [edit] College Football Hall of Famers Charlie Bachman Don Coleman Duffy Daugherty Biggie Munn John Pingel Bubba Smith Brad Van Pelt Frank Waters George Webster[15] [edit] Pro Football Hall of Famers Herb Adderley Joe DeLamielleure [edit] Canadian Football Hall of Fame Abe Eliowitz [edit] Michigan State's All-Time Team Chosen in 2001 by Athlon Sports [1] Offense WR Gene Washington 1964-66 WR Andre Rison 1985-88 TE Billy Joe DuPree 1970-72 E Robert Carey 1949-51 OL Sidney Wagner 1933-35 OL Don Coleman 1949-51 OL Dan Currie 1955-57 OL Ed Budde 1960-62 OL Tony Mandarich 1985-88 OL Flozell Adams 1994-97 QB Earl Morrall 1953-55 QB Steve Juday 1963-65 RB John Pingel 1936-38 RB Sonny Grandelius 1948-50 RB Lorenzo White 1984-87 K Morten Andersen 1978-81 Defense DL Blake Miller 1912-15 DL Ed Bagdon 1946-49 DL Bubba Smith 1964-66 DL Larry Bethea 1974-77 LB Dan Bass 1976-79 LB Carl Banks 1980-83 LB Percy Snow 1986-89 LB Julian Peterson 1998-99 DB Lynn Chandnois 1946-49 DB George Saimes 1960-62 DB George Webster 1964-66 DB Brad Van Pelt 1970-72 P Greg Montgomery 1985-87 [edit] Notable players [edit] Current NFL players Flozell Adams Morten Anderson Matthias Askew Chris Baker Ervin Baldwin Ulish Booker Jehuu Caulcrick T. J. Duckett Kellen Davis Clifford Dukes Brandon Fields Renaldo Hill Brian Hoyer Lemar Marshall Derrick Mason Chris Morris Muhsin Muhammad Ogemdi Nwagbuo Domata Peko Julian Peterson Dave Rayner Javon Ringer Cliffton Ryan Jonal Saint-Dic Josh Shaw Eric Smith Robaire Smith Drew Stanton Devin Thomas Kevin Vickerson William Whitticker[16] [edit] Other famous players Fred Arbanas Tony Banks Carl Banks Ed Budde Plaxico Burress James Caan Charles Rogers Don Coleman Billy Joe Dupree Paul Edinger Wayne Fontes Steve Garvey Peter Gent Kirk Gibson Sedrick Irvin Mark Ingram Tony Mandarich Jim Miller Earl Morrall Ike Reese Andre Rison George Saimes Bill Simpson Bubba Smith Paul Rochester Gene Washington Doug Weaver Lorenzo White Tyrone Willingham [edit] Future schedules [edit] 2010 season Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result September 4* Western Michigan Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     September 11* vs. Florida Atlantic Ford Field[17] • Detroit, MI     September 18* Notre Dame Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Megaphone Trophy)     September 25* Northern Colorado Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     October 2 Wisconsin Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     October 9 at Michigan Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)     October 16 Illinois Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     October 23 at Northwestern Ryan Field • Evanston, IL     November 6 at Iowa Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA     November 13 Minnesota Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     November 20 Purdue Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI     November 27 at Penn State Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA (Land Grant Trophy)     *Non-Conference Game. †Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time. [edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Michigan State Spartans football Official Site Official MSU athletics site Michigan State Fan Site Corner Blitz Official Site [edit] References ^ "NCAA Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-27. ^ Pro Football Reference, Pro Football Reference, September 30, 2009. ^ Grinczel, Steve. (2003). They Are Spartans. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-3214-2.  p. 9. ^ Chris Dufrense, UCLA victory is crucial for Dorrell, Los Angeles Times, September 20, 2007. ^ ESPN - Michigan St. hires Dantonio, Iowa State still looking - College Football ^ College Gridirons, Spartan Stadium. Accessed 2006-06-23. ^ msusi037_template.qxp ^ College Football Data Warehouse. Michigan State Bowl History. ^ Mike Celzic. The Biggest Game of Them All: Notre Dame, Michigan State and the Fall of 1966. ISBN 0-671-75817-9.  ^ Notre Dame's Championship Record ^ Michigan State's Championship Record ^ http://football.about.com/cs/history/a/maxwellaward.htm ^ http://www.biletnikoffaward.com/ ^ http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/awards_butkus.html ^ College Football Hall of Famers ^ Current NFL Players ^ http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20090917/SPORTS0202/909170435/MSU-Fla.-Atlantic-game-in--10-to-Soldier-Field-or-Ford-Field v • d • e Michigan State University (Images) Academics Cyclotron · Facility for Rare Isotope Beams · Hidden Lake Gardens · Kellogg Biological Station · Libraries · Life Sciences Corridor · MSU Press · SOAR Telescope Athletics Basketbowl · Breslin Center · Championships · Clockgate · Cold War · Football · Game of the Century · Hockey · Land Grant Trophy · Izzone · Jenison Fieldhouse · Men's Basketball · Munn Ice Arena · Paul Bunyan Trophy · Spartan Stadium · Sparty · Zeke the Wonder Dog Campus Beal Garden · Beaumont Tower · Cowles House · Demonstration Hall · East Lansing · Eustace-Cole Hall · Grand River Ave. · Horticulture Gardens · Library · Michigan Ave. · Observatory · Pavilion · Red Cedar River · The Rock · Wharton Center Colleges Eli Broad · Engineering · Honors College · Hospitality Business · Human Medicine · James Madison · Law · Lyman Briggs · Natural Science · Nursing · RCAH · Veterinary Medicine History Walter Adams · William James Beal · College Hall · John A. Hannah · John C. Holmes · MISTIC · MSUG · Saints' Rest · Joseph R. Williams People Rick Comley · Mark Dantonio · Mark Hollis · Tom Izzo · Ron Mason · Lou Anna Simon Student Life Capital News Service · MSU Fight Song · Housing · Spartan Marching Band · The State News · WDBM · MSU Telecasters · WKAR (AM/FM/TV) v • d • e Michigan State Spartans football   All-time record 610-418-44 (.589) (as of 01/01/2009)   Teams 1896 • 1897 • 1898 • 1899 • 1900 • 1901 • 1902 • 1903 • 1904 • 1905 • 1906 • 1907 • 1908 • 1909 • 1910 • 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1917 • 1918 • 1919 • 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929 • 1930 • 1931 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937 • 1938 • 1939 • 1940 • 1941 • 1942 • 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009   Rivalries Michigan • Notre Dame • Penn State • Indiana   Key Personnel Head Coach: Mark Dantonio • Offensive Coordinator: Don Treadwell • Defensive Coordinator: Pat Narduzzi   National Championships (6) 1951 • 1952 • 1955 • 1957 • 1965 • 1966   Big Ten Championships (6) 1953 • 1965 • 1966• 1978 • 1987 • 1990   Stadium Spartan Stadium   Culture Spartan Marching Band • Sparty • Zeke the Wonder Dog • MSU Fight Song