1955 Michigan State Spartans football team

1955 Michigan State Spartans football
National champion (Boand)
Rose Bowl, W 17–14 vs. UCLA
Conference Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches No. 2
AP No. 2
1955 record 9–1 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach Duffy Daugherty (2nd season)
MVP Carl Nystrom
Captain Carl Nystrom
Home stadium Macklin Stadium
(Capacity: 51,000)
1955 Big Ten football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 5 Ohio State $ 6 0 0  7 2 0
No. 2 Michigan State 5 1 0  9 1 0
No. 12 Michigan 5 2 0  7 2 0
Purdue 4 2 1  5 3 1
Illinois 3 3 1  5 3 1
Wisconsin 3 4 0  4 5 0
Iowa 2 3 1  3 5 1
Minnesota 2 5 0  3 6 0
Indiana 1 5 0  3 6 0
Northwestern 0 6 1  0 8 1
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1955 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1955 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third season in Big Ten play and their second season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 9–1 overall record (5–1 against Big Ten opponents) and were ranked No. 2 behind Oklahoma in the final AP Poll.[1][2]

Three Michigan State players were selected by the AP as first-team players on the 1955 All-Big Ten Conference football team: quarterback Earl Morrall, tackle Norm Masters, and guard Carl Nystrom. Halfback Jerry Planutis was selected for the second team.[3]

The 1955 Spartans won two of their three annual rivalry games. In the annual Indiana–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers by a 20–13 score. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish by a 21–14 score. And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans suffered their only loss, losing to the Wolverines by a 14–7 score.[2]

In non-conference play, the Spartans also defeated Stanford, 38–14, and defeated UCLA, 17–14, in the 1956 Rose Bowl.[2]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Attendance
September 24 at Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN (Rivalry) W 20–13   23,000
October 1 at No. 2 Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (Rivalry) L 7–14   97,239
October 8 No. 20 Stanford* Macklin StadiumEast Lansing, MI W 38–14   47,586
October 15 No. 4 Notre Dame* No. 13 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Rivalry) W 21–7   52,007
October 22 Illinois No. 6 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 21–7   51,851
October 29 at Wisconsin No. 5 Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI W 27–0   53,529
November 5 at Purdue No. 4 Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN W 27–0   41,000
November 12 Minnesota No. 3 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 42–14   51,605
November 19 Marquette* No. 3 Macklin Stadium • East Lansing, MI W 33–0   41,814
January 2, 1956 vs. No. 4 UCLA* No. 2 Rose BowlPasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) W 17–14   100,809
*Non-conference game.
Schedule Source:[4][5]

References

  1. "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "1955 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. "Cassady, Kramer, Jones Repeat on Big 10 Team". The Milwaukee Sentinel. November 22, 1955.
  4. "Michigan State Official Athletic Site". www.msuspartans.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  5. "1955 Michigan State Spartans". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
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