1955 Michigan State Spartans football team
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] Michigan State was named national champion by Boand, an NCAA-designated major selector.[3]
| 1955 Michigan State Spartans football | |
|---|---|
 | |
National champion (Boand) | |
| 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 Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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.[4]
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 |
| W 20–13 | 23,000 | |
| October 1 | at No. 2 Michigan |
| L 7–14 | 97,239 | |
| October 8 | No. 20 Stanford* |
| W 38–14 | 47,586 | |
| October 15 | No. 4 Notre Dame* | No. 13 |
| W 21–7 | 52,007 |
| October 22 | Illinois | No. 6 |
| W 21–7 | 51,851 |
| October 29 | at Wisconsin | No. 5 |
| W 27–0 | 53,529 |
| November 5 | at Purdue | No. 4 |
| W 27–0 | 41,000 |
| November 12 | Minnesota | No. 3 |
| W 42–14 | 51,605 |
| November 19 | Marquette* | No. 3 |
| W 33–0 | 41,814 |
| January 2, 1956 | vs. No. 4 UCLA* | No. 2 | W 17–14 | 100,809 | |
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References
- "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- "1955 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 113. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- "Cassady, Kramer, Jones Repeat on Big 10 Team". The Milwaukee Sentinel. November 22, 1955.
- "Michigan State Official Athletic Site". www.msuspartans.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
- "1955 Michigan State Spartans". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.