1950 Michigan State Spartans football team

1950 Michigan State Spartans football
Conference Independent
Ranking
Coaches No. 9
AP No. 8
1950 record 8–1
Head coach Biggie Munn (4th season)
Captain LeRoy R. Crane
Home stadium Macklin Stadium
(Capacity: 51,000)

The 1950 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College in the 1950 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled an 8–1 record and were ranked #8 in the final AP Poll.[1][2]

Two Spartans received first-team honors on the 1950 College Football All-America Team. Fullback Sonny Grandelius received first-team honors from the Associated Press,[3] International News Service,[4] and Central Press Association,[5] and end Dorne Dibble received the honors from the Football Writers Association of America.[6]

The 1950 Spartans won their annual rivalry games against Notre Dame by a 36-33 score and against Michigan by a 14 to 7 score.[2]

In intersectional play, the Spartans beat Oregon State (6-0), William & Mary (33-14), and Pitt (19-0).[2]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Attendance
September 23 Oregon State No. 19 Macklin StadiumEast Lansing, MI W 3813    
September 30 at No. 3 Michigan No. 19 Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (Rivalry) W 147   97,239
October 7 Maryland No. 2 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI L 734    
October 14 William & Mary No. 20 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 3314    
October 21 Marquette Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 346    
October 28 at Notre Dame No. 15 Notre Dame StadiumSouth Bend, IN (Megaphone Trophy) W 3633    
November 4 Indiana No. 13 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Old Brass Spittoon) W 350    
November 11 Minnesota No. 12 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 270    
November 18 at Pittsburgh No. 10 Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA W 190    
#Rankings from AP Poll.


Game summaries

Michigan

Week 1: Michigan State at Michigan
1 234Total
Michigan St. 7 007 14
Michigan 0 070 7

Michigan, ranked No. 3 in the country, opened the 1950 season playing against Michigan State College in Ann Arbor. Though favored by two touchdowns, the Wolverines were upset by the Spartans 14-7. The defeat was Michigan's first loss in the opening game of a season since 1937. Michigan played most of the game without its leading player, Chuck Ortmann. Ortmann was injured while being tackled on a 35-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. On the next play, Ortmann dropped back to pass but fell to the ground and was unable to return to the game. Michigan State took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a touchdown run by Sonny Grandelius. Michigan tied the score in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Don Peterson to Fred Pickard. Michigan's touchdown was set up when Frank Howell intercepted a Michigan State pass and returned it 32 yards to the Michigan State 20-yard line. In the fourth quarter, Michigan State returned a punt to the Michigan 19-yard line and scored on a run by Michigan State fullback Leroy Crane. Michigan drove to the Michigan State 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, but the drive ended when quarterback Bill Putich threw an interception.[7]

See also

References

  1. "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 154. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "1950 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  3. "Two Platoons Selected for All-American Team". Janesville Daily Gazette. 1950-12-06.
  4. Lawton Carver (1950-11-27). "Youth Dominates INS All-America Teams". Lebanon Daily News.
  5. "Central Press Captains' All-American". Titusville Herald. 1950-12-02.
  6. "FWAA All America" (PDF). Football Writers Association of America.
  7. "97,239 See Michigan State Vanquish Wolverines, 14-7". The New York Times. October 1, 1950.
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