Michigan State Spartans football - wikipedia Michigan State Spartans football This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( April 2008 ) Michigan State Spartans football 2018 Michigan State Spartans football team First season 1896 Athletic director Vacant Head coach Mark Dantonio 12th season, 100 -- 45 (. 690 ) Stadium Spartan Stadium ( Capacity : 75,005 ) Field surface Grass Location East Lansing, Michigan Conference Big Ten Conference Division East All - time record 694 -- 453 -- 44 (. 601 ) Bowl record 12 -- 15 (. 444 ) Playoff record 0 -- 1 Claimed nat'l titles 6 ( 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966 ) Conference titles 11 ( 9 Big Ten, 2 MIAA ) Division titles Rivalries Notre Dame ( rivalry ) Indiana ( rivalry ) Michigan ( rivalry ) Penn State ( rivalry ) Consensus All - Americans 31 Current uniform Colors Green and White Fight song Victory for MSU Mascot Sparty Marching band Spartan Marching Band Website www.msuspartans.com The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Spartans are members of the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State claims a total of six national championships ( 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, and 1966 ) ; the AP Poll voted Michigan State as national champion one time ( 1952 ). They have been named national champions twice in the Coaches Poll ( 1952 and 1965 ). The Spartans have also won two Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships ( 1903 and 1905 ) and nine Big Ten championships ( 1953, 1965, 1966, 1978, 1987, 1990, 2010, 2013, and 2015 ). The Spartans home games are played at Spartan Stadium, which is located on the main university campus. Spartan Stadium has ranked among the NCAA 's Top 25 in attendance for 59 consecutive seasons, from 1953 through 2014. The Spartans ' current coach, Mark Dantonio was hired on November 27, 2006. The team 's iconic Spartan helmet logo has been ranked as one of the game 's best. Contents 1 History 1.1 Early years 1.2 Clarence `` Biggie '' Munn ( 1947 -- 1953 ) 1.3 Duffy Daugherty ( 1954 -- 1972 ) 1.4 George Perles ( 1983 -- 1994 ) 1.5 Nick Saban ( 1995 -- 1999 ) 1.6 Mark Dantonio ( 2006 -- present ) 2 Conference affiliations 3 Head coaches 3.1 Head coaching records 4 Football facilities 4.1 Spartan Stadium 4.2 Duffy Daugherty Building / Skandalaris Center 5 Championships 5.1 National championships 5.2 Conference championships 5.3 Divisional championships 6 Bowl games 6.1 Record by bowl game 7 Rivalries 7.1 Notre Dame 7.2 Indiana 7.3 Michigan 7.4 Penn State 8 Historic games 8.1 Game of the Century 9 Awards Individual awards and honors 9.1 National award winners 9.1. 1 Players 9.1. 2 Coaches 9.2 Big Ten Conference honors 9.3 List of Consensus All - Americans 9.4 Team honors 9.4. 1 Retired numbers 9.4. 2 Michigan State 's All - Time Team 9.5 Hall of Fame 9.5. 1 College 9.5. 2 Professional ( United States ) 9.5. 3 Professional ( Canada ) 9.5. 4 Rose Bowl 10 Future opponents 10.1 Big Ten East - division opponents 10.2 Non-conference opponents 11 References 12 External links History See also : List of Michigan State Spartans football seasons 1913 Michigan Agricultural College ( MSU ) vs Michigan Early years Starting as a club sport in 1885, football gained varsity status in 1896. Early teams at the then Michigan Agricultural College ( MAC ) competed in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association ( MIAA ), which was chartered in 1888 and is the oldest existing collegiate leagues in the United States. Previously, in 1884, Albion College and Michigan Agricultural had played in the first intercollegiate 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. Chester Brewer revolutionized the football program during three different stints as head coach : 1903 -- 10, 1917, and 1919. Considered a defensive genius, his teams posted shutouts in 49 of the 88 games he coached. John Macklin took over as head coach in 1911 and owned a winning percentage of. 853 ( 29 -- 5 ), which is the highest in Michigan State history. Jim Crowley, one of Notre Dame 's immortal Four Horsemen, served as the head football coach at Michigan State from 1929 to 1933. Charlie Bachman, another Notre Dame alumnus, succeeded Jim Crowley as head football coach at Michigan State, coming to East Lansing after a successful stint at Florida. A teammate of Knute Rockne, Bachman employed the Notre Dame system and forged 10 winning seasons in 13 years. Clarence `` Biggie '' Munn ( 1947 -- 1953 ) Main article : Clarence Munn Clarence Lester `` Biggie '' Munn took over as head coach of Michigan State from Charlie Bachman in 1947. His 1951 and 1952 squads won national championships. Munn retired from coaching in 1953 to assume duties as Michigan State 's athletic director, a position he held until 1971. Each year, the Michigan State Spartans football team hands out the `` Biggie Munn Award '' to the team 's most motivational player. MSU 's Munn Ice Arena, built in 1974, is named in his honor. Munn was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1959, and, in 1961, he became Michigan State 's first inductee into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. He authored the coaching textbook Michigan State Multiple Offense in 1953. 1947 -- 1950 In 1947, Munn and the Michigan State administration, led by university president John A. Hannah, approached Notre Dame president Father Cavanaugh to have his Fighting Irish play the Spartans for the first time since 1921. MSU initially offered to let Notre Dame take 80 percent of the gate, but Cavanaugh insisted they split the receipts down the middle. Munn was the only coach to beat Notre Dame head coach Frank Leahy three years in a row ( 1950 -- 52 ). Starting with a 33 -- 14 win over William & Mary in East Lansing on October 14, 1950 Biggie Munn started his historic 28 - game winning streak. 1951 The 1951 team went undefeated and were elected the National Champions by the Helms Athletic Foundation ; however, the rest of the polls voted for the Tennessee Volunteers, who lost in the Sugar Bowl to the Maryland Terrapins, but postseason games did not count at the time. 1952 The 1952 squad continued Munn 's undefeated streak going 9 - 0. Michigan State won a national championship for the second year in a row and for the first time in school history were voted # 1 in both the AP and Coaches ' polls. Munn was named the AFCA Coach of the Year, coaching MSU to 9 -- 0 record and a national championship. 1953 In 1953, Michigan State 's first year of conference play in the Big Ten, the Spartans shared the conference title with Illinois and went to the Rose Bowl, where they beat UCLA, 28 -- 20. On October 24, 1953, Purdue upset the Spartans 6 - 0 ending Munn 's 28 - game winning streak. The Spartans won the first ever Paul Bunyan Trophy after beating rival Michigan 14 - 6 in East Lansing. Shortly after the Rose Bowl victory, MSU 's athletic director, Ralph H. Young retired. Munn stepped down from coaching to assume duties as athletic director and remained in that position until 1971. Munn named his assistant, Duffy Daugherty, as his successor to helm the football team. During his tenure as Michigan State 's head football coach, Munn tutored 17 All - Americans. His teams have retained the school 's top four season marks for rushing - yards - per - game : 1948 ( 304.5 yards / game ), 1951 ( 293.9 yards ), 1952 ( 272.4 ), and 1950 ( 269.3 ). Munn was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959. A football signed by the 1979 Michigan State Spartans football team 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. '' During this era, the Spartans produced great players such 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. A second consecutive undefeated season led to a consensus national title in 1952. The team was admitted into the Big Ten as a regular member in 1953, winning the league championship and defeating UCLA in their first Rose Bowl game. After the 1953 season, Biggie Munn, turned the team over to his protégé Duffy Daugherty. Duffy Daugherty ( 1954 -- 1972 ) Main article : Duffy Daugherty Duffy Daugherty ( September 8, 1915 -- September 25, 1987 ) replaced Biggie Munn in December 1953, following Munn 's retirement to become Michigan State 's athletic director. Daugherty would serve as the head coach at Michigan State University from 1954 to 1972, where he compiled a career record of 109 -- 69 -- 5. Duffy 's 1965 and 1966 teams won national championships. Duffy 's tenure of 19 seasons at the helm of the Michigan State Spartans football team is the longest of any head coach in the program 's history. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984. 1954 -- 1964 After compiling a disappointing 3 -- 6 record in Daugherty 's first season in 1954, the Spartans improved and finished second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State in 1955 with an 8 -- 1 record in the regular season. Michigan State received the conference 's invitation to the 1956 Rose Bowl instead of the Buckeyes due to the conference 's prohibition against consecutive trips to the Rose Bowl. In Pasadena, the Spartans defeated UCLA, 17 -- 14, for their second bowl win in school history. From 1956 to 1964, Daugherty 's Michigan State teams were usually good, three times placing second in Big Ten, but never captured the conference crown. The Spartans did, however, beat Notre Dame eight straight times between 1955 and 1963, a feat matched only by Michigan ( 1887 -- 1908 ) and USC ( 2002 -- 2009 ). On November 5, 1964, the NCAA found Daugherty 's program at Michigan State guilty of NCAA infractions prior to and during the 1957, 1958, and 1959 seasons. Daughtery 's football program was put on probation for three years following the 1964 decision. 1965 -- 1966 The 1965 and 1966 seasons were the high points in Daugherty 's coaching tenure, if not in the history of Michigan State football. The 1965 team finished the regular season 10 -- 0 and ranked first in the country, but was upset by UCLA in the 1966 Rose Bowl, 14 -- 12. Nevertheless, Michigan State was named national champions by the UPI and the National Football Foundation. The 1966 team began the season 9 -- 0 and headed into their final game ranked # 2 against # 1 Notre Dame at Spartan Stadium on November 19. The # 1 vs. # 2 showdown, dubbed `` The Game of the Century '' by national media, ended in a 10 -- 10 tie. The Spartans did not play in a bowl game following the 1966 season due to Big Ten rules in place at the time that prohibited its teams from playing in the Rose Bowl in consecutive years and barred participation in any other bowl. Notre Dame and Michigan State were declared co-national champions of the 1966 season as a result of the 10 - 10 tie. 1967 -- 1972 Beginning with the 1967 season, there was a decline in the Spartans football program under Duffy. Daugherty 's teams in the late 60s and early 70s consistently hovered around the. 500 mark, with only his 1971 squad finishing with a winning record ( 6 -- 5 ). Under pressure from MSU 's administration, Daugherty retired after the 1972 season and was succeeded as head coach by Denny Stolz. During Daugherty 's time in East Lansing, he recruited and coached some of the best players in Michigan State 's history, including Herb Adderley, Brad Van Pelt, Bubba Smith, George Webster, and Joe DeLamielleure. He was one of the first college football coaches to field a racially integrated team. George Perles ( 1983 -- 1994 ) Main article : George Perles After returning from US Army active duty, Perles returned to Michigan where he enrolled at Michigan State University and played football under legendary coach Duffy Daugherty. Perles played the 1958 season before his playing career was cut short by a knee injury. Perles then started his football coaching career as a graduate assistant at Michigan State before moving on to the high school ranks in Chicago and Detroit, where his St. Ambrose High School team won their first Detroit City League Championship in 1961. Perles returned to Michigan State as defensive line coach under his mentor, Daugherty. In 1972, Chuck Noll, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, offered Perles the position of defensive line coach. In Perles ' first season, the Steelers made the NFL playoffs for the second time in franchise history, the first since 1947, losing to the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game. In 1974, the Steelers won the first of six consecutive AFC Central division championships and also their first Super Bowl. Perles became the defensive coordinator for the Steelers in 1978 and then assistant head coach under Noll in 1979. During Perles ' ten years with Pittsburgh ( 1972 -- 1981 ), the Steelers won a then - record four Super Bowls and became known as the team of the decade for the 1970s, largely on the back of their `` Stunt 4 - 3 '' defense designed by Perles. Perles returned to Michigan State University on December 3, 1982. In 12 years, he led the Spartans to two Big Ten Conference titles, seven bowl games and a victory in the 1988 Rose Bowl. The 1987 season marked the Spartans ' last outright Big Ten title until 2013. During the 1987 season Perles and Michigan State beat Southern California twice in the same season, once in the regular season and one in the Rose Bowl. During 1994 -- 1995, an extensive external investigation conducted by the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC. uncovered various infractions including grade tampering by an athletic department administrator. MSU president M. Peter McPherson fired Perles before the end of the 1994 season, and ordered the Spartans to forfeit their five wins for that season. Perles was found `` not culpable ''. Many fans and alumni believed he was treated unfairly. He later went on to be the founder of The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl and is on the MSU board of trustees. Nick Saban ( 1995 -- 1999 ) Main article : Nick Saban When Saban arrived in East Lansing, Michigan prior to the 1995 season, MSU had not had a winning season since 1990, and the team was sanctioned by the NCAA for recruiting violations committed under his predecessor and former mentor, George Perles. 1995 -- 1997 -- Beginning in 1995, Saban moderately improved MSU 's fortunes, taking the Spartans to minor bowl games ( all of which they lost by double - digit margins ) in each of his first three seasons. From 1995 to 1997, Michigan State finished 6 - 5 - 1, 6 - 6, and 7 - 5. In comparison, MSU had finished 5 -- 6, 6 -- 6 and 5 -- 6 ( prior to NCAA forfeits ) in 1992 -- 1994. 1998 -- On November 7, 1998, the Spartans upset the # 1 ranked Ohio State 28 -- 24 at Ohio Stadium. However, even after the upset and an early - season rout of then - highly ranked Notre Dame the Spartans finished 6 -- 6, including three last - minute losses featuring turnovers, defensive lapses, and special - teams misplays, and failed to earn a bowl invitation. 1999 -- Saban led the Spartans to a 9 -- 2 season that included wins over Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. Conversely, the two losses were routs at the hands of Purdue and Wisconsin. Following the final regular - season game against Penn State, Saban abruptly resigned to accept the head coaching position with LSU. Saban 's assistant head coach and successor, Bobby Williams, then coached MSU to a Citrus Bowl victory over Florida, giving the Spartans an overall record of 10 -- 2 for the 1999 season. It would be the best season in terms of wins for the Spartans since 1965, and it would see the Spartans reach their highest ranking since the 1966 team. Future former NFL Head Coach Josh McDaniels served as a Graduate Assistant on Saban 's 1999 coaching staff. Saban never won a bowl game in his tenure at Michigan State, going 0 - 3 and losing those bowl contests by a combined 85 points. Mark Dantonio ( 2006 -- present ) Main article : Mark Dantonio On November 27, 2006, Mark Dantonio was hired from the University of Cincinnati to become Michigan State 's new men 's football head coach. Dantonio served as an assistant coach at MSU from 1995 to 2000 and was Ohio State 's defensive coordinator during their 2002 national championship season. Dantonio was also an assistant at Kansas and Youngstown State University. In 2010, Dantonio led MSU to earn a share of the Big Ten Championship after finishing the year in a three - way tie with Ohio State and Wisconsin. His 2011 team won their division and appeared in the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game. His Spartans would win outright Big Ten Championships in 2013 and 2015 with victories in the 2013 and 2015 Championship Games. He has compiled a 8 -- 3 record against the arch - rival Michigan. Michigan State 's streak of four wins in a row, from the 2008 season through 2011, tied Michigan State 's best in the rivalry. Dantonio 's record also includes a 4 -- 4 mark for the Megaphone Trophy, which goes to the winner of the Notre Dame rivalry game. He is considered a defensive - minded coach and has been on the coaching staffs of Glen Mason, Jim Tressel and Nick Saban. As of February 2018, his contract runs through 2024. Dantonio makes approximately $4.3 million annually. Conference affiliations Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association ( 1896 -- 1906 ) Independent ( 1907 -- 1952 ) Big Ten Conference ( 1953 -- present ) Head Coaches Duffy Daughtery is MSU 's all - time winningest coach with 104 wins. Daughtery was also the longest tenured coach at 19 years. Daugherty won four national titles while Clarence Munn won two ; no other MSU coach has won a title. `` Biggie '' Munn leads coaches since 1940 with a. 846 winning percentage. MSU 's current coach, Mark Dantonio, is the third longest tenured current coach in the Big Ten at ten years. Head coaching records Coach Years Seasons Record Pct. Conf. Record Pct. Div. Titles Conf. Titles Bowl Games National Titles Conference No Coach 1896 1 -- 2 -- 1. 375 0 -- 1 -- 0. 000 0 0 0 0 MIAA Henry Keep 1897 -- 1898 8 -- 5 -- 1. 607 5 -- 2 -- 1. 688 0 0 0 0 MIAA Charles Bemies 1899 -- 1900 3 -- 7 -- 1. 318 1 -- 3 -- 0. 250 0 0 0 0 MIAA George Denman 1901 -- 1902 7 -- 9 -- 1. 441 5 -- 4 -- 1. 550 0 0 0 0 MIAA Chester Brewer 1903 -- 1910, 1917, 1919 10 58 -- 23 -- 7. 699 19 -- 2 -- 2. 833 0 0 0 Left MIAA in 1907 John Macklin 1911 -- 1915 5 29 -- 5 -- 0. 853 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent Dutch Sommers 1916 4 -- 2 -- 1. 643 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent George Gauthier 1918 4 -- 3 -- 0. 571 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent George Clark 1920 4 -- 6. 400 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent Albert Barron 1921 -- 1922 6 -- 10 -- 2. 389 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent Ralph H. Young 1923 -- 1927 5 18 -- 22 -- 1. 451 n / a n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 Independent Harry Kipke 1928 3 -- 4 -- 1. 438 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent Jim Crowley 1929 -- 1932 22 -- 8 -- 3. 712 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 0 Independent Charlie Bachman 1933 -- 1942, 1944 -- 1946 13 70 -- 34 -- 10. 658 n / a n / a n / a n / a 0 Independent Clarence Munn 1947 -- 1953 7 54 -- 9 -- 2. 846 5 -- 1. 833 n / a Joined Big Ten in 1953 Duffy Daugherty 1954 -- 1972 19 109 -- 69 -- 5. 609 72 -- 50 -- 3. 588 n / a Big Ten Denny Stolz 1973 -- 1975 19 -- 13 -- 1. 591 14 -- 9 -- 1. 604 n / a 0 0 0 Big Ten Darryl Rogers 1976 -- 1979 24 -- 18 -- 2. 568 19 -- 12 -- 1. 609 n / a 0 0 Big Ten Muddy Waters 1980 -- 1982 10 -- 23 -- 0. 303 8 -- 18 -- 0. 308 n / a 0 0 0 Big Ten George Perles 1983 -- 1994 12 68 -- 67 -- 4. 504 53 -- 42 -- 2. 557 n / a 7 0 Big Ten Nick Saban 1995 -- 1999 5 34 -- 24 -- 1. 592 23 -- 16 -- 1. 589 n / a 0 0 Big Ten Bobby Williams 2000 -- 2002 > 2 16 -- 17. 469 6 -- 15. 286 n / a 0 0 Big Ten Morris Watts 2002 < 1 1 -- 2. 333 1 -- 2. 333 n / a 0 0 0 Big Ten John L. Smith 2003 -- 2006 22 -- 26. 458 12 -- 20. 375 n / a 0 0 Big Ten Mark Dantonio 2007 -- present 10 100 -- 45. 682 53 -- 28. 654 3 * 9 0 Big Ten Totals 1896 -- present 120 686 -- 450 -- 44. 599 296 -- 225 -- 13. 566 11 26 6 * The Big Ten split into the Leaders and Legends Divisions with the addition of Nebraska for the 2011 season. Michigan State played in the Legends Division from 2011 to 2013. In 2014, with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers, the divisions were realigned and Michigan State now plays in the East Division. Football Facilities Spartan Stadium Main article : Spartan Stadium ( East Lansing ) Spartan Stadium hosts varsity football games and other events. Until the 1920s, the Spartans played on Old College Field just northwest of the current stadium. In the early 1920s school officials voted to construct a new stadium. The new College Field was ready in the fall of 1923 with a capacity of 14,000. 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 sides, boosting the capacity to 76,000. That same season Michigan State dropped the name Macklin Stadium in favor of the current name, Spartan Stadium. In 2005 the university finished a new $64 million expansion project to Spartan Stadium. It featured the addition of nearly 3,000 club seats in the `` Spartan Club, '' 24 suites and a 193 - seat press box, bringing the current stadium capacity to 75,005. The original World War II - era terracotta cast of `` The Spartan '' statue was moved indoors to the atrium of the new structure to protect it from the elements and occasional vandalism, and a new bronze cast was made for outdoors. The 200,000 - square - foot ( 19,000 m ) addition also houses the MSU Alumni Association, University Development and other units. The stadium boasts a capacity of 75,005, making it the Big Ten 's 6th largest stadium and 23rd largest college football stadium in the country. In 2010 Spartan Stadium had the 19th highest attendance in NCAA Division I FBS. Crowd noise in the stadium gets so loud that Stanley Kubrick 's Spartacus ( 1960 ) uses a recording of the crowd noise during the 1959 Michigan State - Notre Dame game. For the 2007 season, the student section held approximately 13,000 fans. Like the basketball student section ( the Izzone ), the Michigan State Student Alumni Foundation used to oversee a subgroup in the football student section named `` Corner Blitz. '' When head coach Mark Dantonio took over the football program in 2006, `` Corner Blitz '' was united with the normal student section. The entire student section now receives a special T - shirt which is voted on annually. Three new video boards were installed prior to the 2012 season. The larger South LED board measures 47.2 feet ( 14.4 m ) high by 114.8 feet ( 35.0 m ) wide for a total of 5,412 square feet ( 502.8 m ). The two North LED boards measure 31.5 feet ( 9.6 m ) high by 52.5 feet ( 16.0 m ) wide for a total of 1,653.75 square feet ( 153.638 m ) each. When combined, the three boards measure 8,719.5 square feet ( 810.07 m ), making it the largest combined board system in the country. Also, the stadium includes a 10 feet ( 3.0 m ) high by 450 feet ( 140 m ) wide ribbon video board along the top of the bleachers in the north endzone, which adds another 4,500 square feet ( 420 m ) to make a grand total of 13,219.5 square feet ( 1,228.13 m ). Duffy Daugherty Building / Skandalaris Center In 2007 Michigan State expanded its Duffy Daugherty Football Building with a $15 million expansion and renovation project. The face - lift started with construction of the 25,000 - square - foot ( 2,300 m ) Skandalaris Football Center that features new team, staff and position meeting rooms, coaches ' offices, MSU football Players Lounge and The Demmer Family Hall of History. MSU alumni Robert and Julie Skandalaris of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., donated $5 million as the lead gift for the $15 million project. In 2008, weight room was increased in size from 9,000 to 16,500 square feet ( 1,530 m ) at a cost of $2 million. The complex includes a 86,000 - square - foot ( 8,000 m ) indoor practice facility with a full in - door football field, two outdoor practice football fields and a training room with a rehab and hydrotherapy section. Graphics in the space were provided by Ohio - based environmental designer, Ze Design. Championships National championships Michigan State claims a total of six national championships, three of which are consensus national championships after being declared the national champion by the AP and Coaches ' Poll in 1952, the Coaches ' Poll in 1965, and the National Football Foundation in 1966. Year Coach Selector Record Bowl 1951 Clarence Munn Billingsley, Helms, Poling 9 -- 0 1952 Clarence Munn AP Poll, Coaches ' Poll, Helms, NCF, UPI 9 -- 0 1955 Duffy Daugherty Boand 9 -- 1 Won Rose 1957 Duffy Daugherty Dunkel 8 -- 1 1965 Duffy Daugherty UPI, FWAA, Helms 10 -- 1 Lost Rose 1966 Duffy Daugherty Helms, NFF, CFRA 9 -- 1 Total National Titles 6 Conference championships Michigan State has won 11 conference championships, seven outright and four shared. Year Conference Coach Overall Record Conference Record 1903 MIAA Chester Brewer 6 -- 1 -- 1 3 -- 1 1905 † MIAA Chester Brewer 9 -- 2 4 -- 0 1953 Big Ten Conference Clarence Munn 9 -- 1 5 -- 1 1965 Big Ten Conference Duffy Daugherty 10 -- 1 7 -- 0 1966 Big Ten Conference Duffy Daugherty 9 -- 0 -- 1 7 -- 0 1978 † Big Ten Conference Darryl Rogers 8 -- 3 7 -- 1 Big Ten Conference George Perles 9 -- 2 -- 1 7 -- 0 -- 1 1990 † Big Ten Conference George Perles 8 -- 3 -- 1 6 -- 2 2010 † Big Ten Conference Mark Dantonio 11 -- 2 7 -- 1 2013 Big Ten Conference Mark Dantonio 13 -- 1 8 -- 0 2015 Big Ten Conference Mark Dantonio 12 -- 2 7 -- 1 Conference Titles 9 Big Ten, 2 MIAA † Co-champions Divisional championships Date Division Opponent CG Result December 3, 2011 Big Ten Legends Wisconsin L 39 -- 42 December 7, 2013 Big Ten Legends Ohio State W 34 -- 24 December 5, 2015 Big Ten East Iowa W 16 -- 13 Bowl games Michigan State has appeared in 27 bowl games, garnering a 12 -- 15 record. Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result 1937 Charlie Bachman Orange Bowl Auburn L 0 -- 6 1953 Clarence Munn Rose Bowl UCLA W 28 -- 20 1955 Duffy Daugherty Rose Bowl UCLA W 17 -- 14 1965 Duffy Daugherty Rose Bowl UCLA L 12 -- 14 1984 George Perles Cherry Bowl Army L 6 -- 10 1985 George Perles Hall of Fame Classic Georgia Tech L 14 -- 17 George Perles Rose Bowl USC W 20 -- 17 1988 George Perles Gator Bowl Georgia L 27 -- 34 1989 George Perles Aloha Bowl Hawaii W 33 -- 13 1990 George Perles John Hancock Bowl USC W 17 -- 16 1993 George Perles Liberty Bowl Louisville L 7 -- 18 1995 Nick Saban Independence Bowl LSU L 26 -- 45 Nick Saban Sun Bowl Stanford L 0 -- 38 1997 Nick Saban Aloha Bowl Washington L 23 -- 51 1999 Bobby Williams Florida Citrus Bowl Florida W 37 -- 34 2001 Bobby Williams Silicon Valley Football Classic Fresno State W 44 -- 35 2003 John L. Smith Alamo Bowl Nebraska L 3 -- 17 2007 Mark Dantonio Champs Sports Bowl Boston College L 21 -- 24 2008 Mark Dantonio Capital One Bowl Georgia L 12 -- 24 2009 Mark Dantonio Alamo Bowl Texas Tech L 31 -- 41 Mark Dantonio Capital One Bowl Alabama L 7 -- 49 2011 Mark Dantonio Outback Bowl Georgia W 33 -- 30 2012 Mark Dantonio Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl TCU W 17 -- 16 2013 Mark Dantonio Rose Bowl Stanford W 24 -- 20 2014 Mark Dantonio Cotton Bowl Classic Baylor W 42 -- 41 2015 Mark Dantonio Cotton Bowl Classic ( CFP Semifinal ) Alabama L 0 -- 38 2017 Mark Dantonio Holiday Bowl Washington State W 42 -- 17 Record by bowl game Bowl Game # % Alamo Bowl 0. 000 Aloha Bowl. 500 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl 0 1.000 Champs Sports Bowl 0. 000 Cherry Bowl 0. 000 Citrus Bowl. 333 Cotton Bowl. 500 Gator Bowl 0. 000 Hall of Fame Classic 0. 000 Holiday Bowl 0 1.000 Independence Bowl 0 1.000 Liberty Bowl 0. 000 Orange Bowl 0. 000 Outback Bowl 0 1.000 Rose Bowl 5. 800 Silicon Valley Classic 0 1.000 Sun Bowl. 500 Rivalries Notre Dame Main article : Michigan State -- Notre Dame football rivalry 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. The Fighting Irish currently holds the trophy after a 38 -- 18 win in East Lansing in 2017, which is the last time these teams have played in the series. Notre Dame leads the series 48 -- 29 -- 1 while the Megaphone Trophy series record is 34 -- 27 -- 1 in favor of Notre Dame. Indiana Main article : Indiana -- Michigan State football rivalry The Old Brass Spittoon is presented to the winner of the Indiana -- Michigan State football game which was first presented in 1950. After facing each other in one of the so - called protected cross-division rivalry games from 2011 to 2013, MSU and Indiana will continue to face off each year as members of the Big Ten East division starting with the 2014 season. The Spartans held onto the Old Brass Spittoon from 2007 to 2015, but lost it in 2016 with a 21 -- 24 OT loss in Bloomington. Michigan State currently leads the all - time trophy series 45 -- 12 -- 1. Michigan Main article : Michigan -- Michigan State football rivalry The Paul Bunyan - Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the Michigan State University Spartans and University of Michigan Wolverines. The winner takes possession of the trophy until the next year 's game. Michigan State won the 2017 contest in Ann Arbor by a 14 -- 10 mark, for its 8th win in the series in the last 10 years. Michigan leads the trophy series 36 -- 27 -- 2, dating back to 1953, and the overall series record between the two is 68 -- 37 -- 5 in favor of Michigan. Penn State Main article : Michigan State -- Penn State football rivalry The Land Grant Trophy is named so because 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 ). When 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 until the 2010 season. The trophy, designed by former Michigan State coach George Perles, features pictures of Penn State 's Old Main and Michigan State 's Beaumont Tower. After spending the 2011 to 2013 seasons in opposite Big Ten conference divisions, MSU and PSU resumed playing each other annually for the trophy in 2014. Michigan State is the current holder of the Land Grant Trophy after beating Penn State 27 -- 24 in East Lansing, MI. on November 4, 2017. Michigan State currently leads the series 15 -- 14 -- 1. Historic games 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 AP Coaches Total Notre Dame 0 7 0 10 Michigan State 7 0 0 10 Date November 19, 1966 Season 1966 Stadium Spartan Stadium Location East Lansing, Michigan Main article : 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game This section may be too long to read and navigate comfortably. Please consider splitting content into sub-articles, condensing it, or adding or removing subheadings. ( September 2016 ) 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. 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 end zone on the final series, thus the game ended in a 10 -- 10 tie with both schools recording national championships. Irish quarterback Terry Hanratty was knocked out after getting sacked in the first quarter by Spartan defensive lineman Bubba Smith. Starting Notre Dame running back Nick Eddy was out entirely after hurting his shoulder getting off the train in East Lansing. Michigan State held a 10 - 0 lead by early in the second quarter. But the Irish came back, scoring a touchdown right after Michigan State 's field goal and tied the game on the first play of the fourth quarter. Notre Dame had the ball on its own 30 - yard line with 1 : 10 to go, needing about 40 yards for a game - winning field goal. But Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian chose to run the clock out, not wanting to risk a turnover, preserving the tie and Notre Dame 's # 1 ranking. The game ended in a 10 - 10 tie. Notre Dame beat Rose Bowl bound USC 51 - 0 in Los Angeles the next week, completing an undefeated regular season and moving them to # 1 in both polls. The Irish did not accept bowl bids until 1969, and Michigan State was the victim of a pair of Big Ten rules that would be rescinded a few years later : The same school could not represent the league in the Rose Bowl in back - to - back seasons, and only the league Champions could accept a bowl bid, unless they refused the Rose Bowl bid or, because it was on probation, were prohibited from accepting the bid, which, in either case, would then go to the second - place team. So despite being Big Ten Champions and undefeated in the regular season, in each case for two seasons in a row, the Spartans could not play in the Rose Bowl. For nearly 50 years, Parseghian has defended his end - of - the - game strategy, which left many fans feeling disappointed at the game not having some sort of resolution. College football expert Dan Jenkins lead off his article for Sports Illustrated by saying Parseghian chose to `` Tie one for the Gipper. '' Others chided Notre Dame by calling them the `` Tying Irish '' instead of the `` Fighting Irish. '' Interestingly enough, the game was not shown live on national TV. Each team was allotted one national television appearance and two regional television appearances each season. Notre Dame had used their national TV slot in the season opening game against Purdue. ABC executives did not even want to show the game anywhere but the regional area, but pressure from the West Coast and the South ( to the tune of 50,000 letters ) made ABC air the game on tape delay. The Sporting News named the 1966 Fighting Irish and 1965 - 66 Spartans the eleventh and thirteenth greatest teams of the 20th Century respectively. Awards individual awards and honors National award winners Players Maxwell Award 1972 : Brad Van Pelt Fred Biletnikoff Award 2002 : Charles Rogers Paul Warfield Trophy 2002 : Charles Rogers Outland Trophy 1949 : Ed Bagdon UPI Lineman of the Year 1965 : Bubba Smith Dick Butkus Award 1989 : Percy Snow Lombardi Award 1989 : Percy Snow Jim Thorpe Award 2013 : Darqueze Dennard Jack Tatum Trophy 2013 : Darqueze Dennard Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award 2015 : Connor Cook Coaches AFCA Coach of the Year 1952 : Clarence Munn 1955 : Duffy Daugherty Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year 1965 : Duffy Daugherty Sporting News Coach of the Year 1965 : Duffy Daugherty 1978 : Darryl Rogers Broyles Award 2013 : Pat Narduzzi Big Ten Conference honors Chicago Tribune Silver Football 1971 : Eric Allen 1977 : Larry Bethea 1987 : Lorenzo White Player of the Year 1985 : Lorenzo White 1987 : Lorenzo White Offensive Player of the Year 1990 : Tico Duckett ( media ) Quarterback of the Year 2015 Connor Cook Offensive Lineman of the Year 1987 : Tony Mandarich 1988 : Tony Mandarich 1989 : Bob Kula 1997 : Flozell Adams Receiver of the Year 2014 : Tony Lippett 2015 : Aaron Burbridge Defensive Player of the Year 2009 : Greg Jones ( media ) Defensive Back of the Year 2013 : Darqueze Dennard 2014 : Kurtis Drummond Defensive Lineman of the Year 2013 : Shilique Calhoun Freshman of the Year 1993 : Reggie Garnett Coach of the Year 1974 : Denny Stolz ( media ) 1977 : Darryl Rogers ( media ) 1987 : George Perles ( media ) 2003 : John L. Smith ( media ) 2010 : Mark Dantonio ( media ) 2013 : Mark Dantonio ( media and coaches ) List of Consensus All - Americans This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( February 2018 ) Player Position Years Neno DaPrato 1915 Sidney Wagner 1935 Ed Bagdon 1949 Don Coleman 1951 Bob Carey 1951 Don Dohoney 1953 Earl Morrall 1955 Norm Masters 1955 Walt Kowalczyk 1957 Dan Currie 1957 Sam Williams 1958 George Saimes 1962 Sherman Lewis 1963 Bubba Smith DL 1965, 1966 George Webster DB 1965, 1966 Clinton Jones 1966 Brad Van Pelt DB 1972 Lorenzo White RB 1985, 1987 Tony Mandarich OL 1988 Percy Snow LB 1989 Bob Kula OL 1989 Charles Rogers WR 2002 Brandon Fields Javon Ringer RB 2008 Greg Jones LB 2009, 2010 Jerel Worthy DL 2011 Darqueze Dennard DB 2013 Team honors Retired numbers No. Player Position Tenure Year retired 26 Clinton Jones RB 1964 - 1966 2015 46 John Hannah - - 1969 48 Percy Snow LB 1986 - 1989 2013 78 Don Coleman 1949 - 1951 1951 90 George Webster LB 1964 - 1966 1967 95 Charles `` Bubba '' Smith DE 1964 - 1966 2006 Although Hannah did not play for the Spartans, the University retired No. 46 as a recognition to his 46 years of service to the institution. Michigan State 's All - Time Team Chosen in 2001 by Athlon Sports Offense WR : Gene Washington 1964 -- 66 WR : Andre Rison 1985 -- 88 TE : Billy Joe DuPree 1970 -- 72 E : Robert Carey 1949 -- 51 OL : Sid Wagner 1933 -- 35 OL : Don Coleman 1949 -- 51 OL : Ed Bagdon 1946 - 49 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 Hall of Fame College Michigan State alumni and coaching inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame include : Charlie Bachman Don Coleman Duffy Daugherty Biggie Munn John Pingel Bubba Smith Percy Snow Brad Van Pelt Gene Washington Frank Waters George Webster Clinton Jones Professional ( united States ) Michigan State alumni inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame include : Herb Adderley Joe DeLamielleure Morten Anderson Professional ( canada ) Michigan State alumni inductees to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame include : Abe Eliowitz Dan Bass Rose Bowl Michigan State alumni inductees to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame include : Dave Kaiser Future opponents Big Ten East - Division opponents Michigan State plays the other six Big Ten East opponents once per season. Even Numbered Years Odd Number Years vs Michigan at Michigan vs Ohio State at Ohio State vs Rutgers at Rutgers at Penn State vs Penn State at Indiana vs Indiana at Maryland vs Maryland Non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of September 4, 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 vs Utah State vs Tulsa at BYU at Miami ( FL ) at Boise State vs Boise State at Boston College vs Boston College Notre Dame ( site TBA ) Notre Dame ( site TBA ) at Arizona State vs Western Michigan vs Toledo vs Central Michigan vs Arizona State vs Miami ( FL ) References Jump up ^ `` Color Palette -- The MSU Brand ''. Michigan State University. September 1, 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2015. Jump up ^ `` College Football 's Best and Worst Logos ''. Jump up ^ `` Top 5 Best College Football Logo Designs and How This Applies to Small Businesses ''. 15 November 2011. Jump up ^ Grinczel, Steve. ( 2003 ). They Are Spartans. Charleston, South Carolina : Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0 - 7385 - 3214 - 2. p. 9. Jump up ^ ( PDF ) http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ Infractions Case : Michigan State University Archived 2007 - 10 - 24 at the Wayback Machine., NCAA Register, October 7, 1996. Accessed May 15, 2008. Jump up ^ `` Michigan State In the Polls ''. College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2008 - 10 - 09. Retrieved 2008 - 12 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Michigan State Spartans Index - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Spartans nab Dantonio, Iowa State still looking ''. ESPN.com. 27 November 2006. Jump up ^ `` Mark Dantonio gets contract extension ; Michigan State not ' concerned ' ''. Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 20. Jump up ^ College Gridirons, Spartan Stadium. Accessed 2006 - 06 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Michigan State Official Athletic Site - Facilities ''. Msuspartans.com. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` 2010 National College Football Attendance ''. NCAA.org. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Newsroom Special Reports ''. Special.news.msu.edu. Archived from the original on 2011 - 10 - 06. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Spartan Football Student Section Expands - MICHIGAN STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE ''. Msuspartans.com. 2008 - 07 - 15. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Fans can vote for 2011 football student section T - shirt MSU News Michigan State University ''. News.msu.edu. 2011 - 06 - 09. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` Michigan State Official Athletic Site - Facilities ''. Msuspartans.com. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ `` History : National Championships. '' `` Michigan State Football Gameday Magazine '' 10 September 2011 Jump up ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2017-18/misc_non_event/bowl-history.pdf Jump up ^ `` Michigan State versus Michigan ''. http://www.sports-reference.com/. External link in publisher = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Michigan State Spartans Football Schedules and Future Schedules ''. Fbschedules.com. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ Mike Celzic. The Biggest Game of Them All : Notre Dame, Michigan State and the Fall of 1966. ISBN 0 - 671 - 75817 - 9. Jump up ^ Notre Dame 's Championship Record Archived 2009 - 01 - 27 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ Michigan State 's Championship Record Archived 2008 - 12 - 10 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` AFCA Coach of the Year Award Winners - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Big Ten Retired Football Jerseys -- Part 1 ''. 3 July 2008. Jump up ^ `` College Football Schedules, Scores, News, Predictions, and Rankings ''. AthlonSports.com. 1982 - 12 - 06. Retrieved 2011 - 10 - 14. Jump up ^ College Football Hall of Famers Jump up ^ `` Clinton Jones Elected To College Football Hall of Fame ''. Jump up ^ `` Michigan State Spartans Schedules ''. FBSchedules.com. 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michigan State Spartans football. Official website Michigan State Spartans football Venues Old College Field ( 1902 -- 1922 ) Spartan Stadium ( 1923 -- present ) Bowls & rivalries Bowl games Indiana ( Old Brass Spittoon ) Michigan ( Paul Bunyan Trophy ) Notre Dame ( Megaphone Trophy ) Ohio State Penn State ( Land Grant Trophy ) Culture & lore Sparty `` Victory for MSU '' Marching band Zeke the Wonder Dog Winged football helmet 1966 `` Game of the Century '' Clockgate 2006 Northwestern game People Head coaches Statistical leaders NFL draftees Seasons 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 1943 1944 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 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 National championship seasons in bold Michigan State University Located in : East Lansing, Michigan Academics Broad College of Business Engineering Honors College Hospitality Business Human Medicine James Madison Law Lyman Briggs Natural Science Nursing Osteopathic Medicine Packaging RCAH Veterinary Medicine Athletics Basketbowl The Big Chill at the Big House Breslin Center Championships Clockgate Cold War Field Hockey Forest Akers Golf Courses Football Game of the Century Hockey Volleyball Izzone Jenison Fieldhouse Land Grant Trophy Men 's Basketball Women 's Basketball Munn Ice Arena Old Brass Spittoon Paul Bunyan Trophy Michigan -- Michigan State basketball rivalry Michigan -- Michigan State ice hockey rivalry Spartan Stadium Sparty Old College Field Drayton McLane Baseball Stadium at John H. Kobs Field Volleyball Zeke the Wonder Dog Campus Beal Garden Beaumont Tower Broad Art Museum Cowles House Demonstration Hall East Lansing Eppley Center Grand River Ave. Horticulture Gardens Laboratory Row Library Observatory Pavilion Red Cedar River The Rock Student Union Wharton Center History Walter Adams William James Beal College Hall John A. Hannah John C. Holmes MISTIC MSUG Saints ' Rest Joseph R. Williams Research Facility for Rare Isotope Beams Hidden Lake Gardens Kellogg Biological Station Life Sciences Corridor Michigan State University Press National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory SOAR Telescope University Research Corridor People Rick Comley Mark Dantonio Mark Hollis Tom Izzo Ron Mason Lou Anna Simon Student life Capital News Service Housing `` Victory for MSU '' Spartan Marching Band The State News WDBM MSU Telecasters WKAR ( AM / FM / TV ) Fraternities and sororities Founded : 1855 Students : 50,543 Endowment : 2.225 billion Images Big Ten Conference football East Division Indiana Hoosiers Maryland Terrapins Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans Ohio State Buckeyes Penn State Nittany Lions Rutgers Scarlet Knights West Division Illinois Fighting Illini Iowa Hawkeyes Minnesota Golden Gophers Nebraska Cornhuskers Northwestern Wildcats Purdue Boilermakers Wisconsin Badgers Championships & awards Champions All - time standings ( 1896 -- 1958 ), ( 1959 -- present ) Championship Game Individual awards Chicago Tribune Silver Football Seasons 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 1943 1944 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 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michigan_State_Spartans_football&oldid=827923114 '' Categories : Michigan State Spartans football Sports clubs established in 1896 1896 establishments in Michigan Hidden categories : Pages with citations lacking titles Pages with citations having bare URLs Webarchive template wayback links CS1 errors : external links All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from June 2017 Articles with permanently dead external links Articles needing additional references from April 2008 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018 All articles with vague or ambiguous time Vague or ambiguous time from February 2018 Articles with unsourced statements from February 2018 Articles that may be too long from September 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from June 2012 Articles needing additional references from February 2018 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano Edit links This page was last edited on 27 February 2018, at 15 : 10. 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Question: how many big ten championships does michigan state have
Answer: nine