# List of Michigan State Spartans football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Michigan State Spartans football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1885, the Spartans have participated in more than 1,200 officially sanctioned games, including 30 bowl games.
Michigan State originally competed as a football independent. In 1896, MSU joined the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Spartans then competed independently again from 1907 through 1952. In 1953, MSU joined the Big Ten conference, where it has been a member ever since.

## Seasons

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches$^#$ | AP$^°$ |
| No coach (MIAA) (1896) ||||||||
| 1896 | No coach | 1–2–1 | 0–1 | | | | |
| Henry Keep (MIAA) (1897–1898) ||||||||
| 1897 | Henry Keep | 4–2–1 | 1–1–1 | | | | |
| 1898 | Henry Keep | 4–3 | 4–1 | | | | |
| Charles O. Bemies (MIAA) (1899–1900) ||||||||
| 1899 | Charles O. Bemies | 2–4–1 | 1–2 | | | | |
| 1900 | Charles O. Bemies | 1–3 | 0–1 | | | | |
| George Denman (MIAA) (1901–1902) ||||||||
| 1901 | George Denman | 3–4–1 | 3–2–1 | | | | |
| 1902 | George Denman | 4–5 | 2–2 | | | | |
| Chester Brewer (MIAA) (1903–1906) ||||||||
| 1903 | Chester Brewer | 6–1–1 | 4–0–1 | T–1st | | | |
| 1904 | Chester Brewer | 8–1 | 4–1 | | | | |
| 1905 | Chester Brewer | 9–2 | 5–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1906 | Chester Brewer | 7–2–2 | 6–1–1 | | | | |
| Chester Brewer (Independent) (1907–1910) ||||||||
| 1907 | Chester Brewer | 4–2–1 | | | | | |
| 1908 | Chester Brewer | 6–0–2 | | | | | |
| 1909 | Chester Brewer | 8–1 | | | | | |
| 1910 | Chester Brewer | 6–1 | | | | | |
| John Macklin (Independent) (1911–1915) ||||||||
| 1911 | John Macklin | 5–1 | | | | | |
| 1912 | John Macklin | 7–1 | | | | | |
| 1913 | John Macklin | 7–0 | | | | | |
| 1914 | John Macklin | 5–2 | | | | | |
| 1915 | John Macklin | 5–1 | | | | | |
| Frank Sommers (Independent) (1916) ||||||||
| 1916 | Frank Sommers | 4–2–1 | | | | | |
| Chester Brewer (Independent) (1917) ||||||||
| 1917 | Chester Brewer | 0–9 | | | | | |
| George Gauthier (Independent) (1918) ||||||||
| 1918 | George Gauthier | 4–3 | | | | | |
| Chester Brewer (Independent) (1919) ||||||||
| 1919 | Chester Brewer | 4–4–1 | | | | | |
| George Clark (Independent) (1920) ||||||||
| 1920 | George Clark | 4–6 | | | | | |
| Albert Barron (Independent) (1921–1922) ||||||||
| 1921 | Albert Barron | 3–5 | | | | | |
| 1922 | Albert Barron | 3–5–2 | | | | | |
| Ralph H. Young (Independent) (1923–1927) ||||||||
| 1923 | Ralph H. Young | 3–5 | | | | | |
| 1924 | Ralph H. Young | 5–3 | | | | | |
| 1925 | Ralph H. Young | 3–5 | | | | | |
| 1926 | Ralph H. Young | 3–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1927 | Ralph H. Young | 4–5 | | | | | |
| Harry Kipke (Independent) (1928) ||||||||
| 1928 | Harry Kipke | 3–4–1 | | | | | |
| Jim Crowley (Independent) (1929–1932) ||||||||
| 1929 | Jim Crowley | 5–3 | | | | | |
| 1930 | Jim Crowley | 5–1–2 | | | | | |
| 1931 | Jim Crowley | 5–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1932 | Jim Crowley | 7–1 | | | | | |
| Charlie Bachman (Independent) (1933–1946) ||||||||
| 1933 | Charlie Bachman | 4–2–2 | | | | | |
| 1934 | Charlie Bachman | 8–1 | | | | | |
| 1935 | Charlie Bachman | 6–2 | | | | | |
| 1936 | Charlie Bachman | 6–1–2 | | | | | |
| 1937 | Charlie Bachman | 8–2 | | | L Orange | | |
| 1938 | Charlie Bachman | 6–3 | | | | | |
| 1939 | Charlie Bachman | 4–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1940 | Charlie Bachman | 3–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1941 | Charlie Bachman | 5–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1942 | Charlie Bachman | 4–3–2 | | | | | |
| 1943 | No team | | | | | | |
| 1944 | Charlie Bachman | 6–1 | | | | | |
| 1945 | Charlie Bachman | 5–3–1 | | | | | |
| 1946 | Charlie Bachman | 5–5 | | | | | |
| Biggie Munn (Independent) (1947–1952) ||||||||
| 1947 | Biggie Munn | 7–2 | | | | | |
| 1948 | Biggie Munn | 6–2–2 | | | | | 14 |
| 1949 | Biggie Munn | 6–3 | | | | | 19 |
| 1950 | Biggie Munn | 8–1 | | | | 8 | 8 |
| 1951 | Biggie Munn | 9–0 | | | | 2 | 2 |
| 1952 | Biggie Munn | 9–0 | | | | 1 | 1 |
| Biggie Munn (Big Ten) (1953) ||||||||
| 1953 | Biggie Munn | 9–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | W Rose | 3 | 3 |
| Duffy Daugherty (Big Ten) (1954–1972) ||||||||
| 1954 | Duffy Daugherty | 3–6 | 1–5 | T–8th | | | |
| 1955 | Duffy Daugherty | 9–1 | 5–1 | 2nd | W Rose | 2 | 2 |
| 1956 | Duffy Daugherty | 7–2 | 4–2 | T–4th | | 10 | 9 |
| 1957 | Duffy Daugherty | 8–1 | 5–1 | 2nd | | 3 | 3 |
| 1958 | Duffy Daugherty | 3–5–1 | 0–5–1 | 10th | | | |
| 1959 | Duffy Daugherty | 5–4 | 4–2 | 2nd | | 16 | |
| 1960 | Duffy Daugherty | 6–2–1 | 4–2 | 4th | | 13 | 15 |
| 1961 | Duffy Daugherty | 7–2 | 5–2 | 3rd | | 9 | 8 |
| 1962 | Duffy Daugherty | 5–4 | 3–3 | T–5th | | | |
| 1963 | Duffy Daugherty | 6–2–1 | 4–1–1 | T–2nd | | 10 | 9 |
| 1964 | Duffy Daugherty | 4–5 | 3–3 | 6th | | | |
| 1965 | Duffy Daugherty | 10–1 | 7–0 | 1st | L Rose | 1 | 2 |
| 1966 | Duffy Daugherty | 9–0–1 | 7–0 | 1st | | 2 | 2 |
| 1967 | Duffy Daugherty | 3–7 | 3–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1968 | Duffy Daugherty | 5–5 | 2–5 | 7th | | | |
| 1969 | Duffy Daugherty | 4–6 | 2–5 | 9th | | | |
| 1970 | Duffy Daugherty | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1971 | Duffy Daugherty | 6–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1972 | Duffy Daugherty | 5–5–1 | 5–2–1 | 4th | | | |
| Denny Stolz (Big Ten) (1973–1975) ||||||||
| 1973 | Denny Stolz | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | | | |
| 1974 | Denny Stolz | 7–3–1 | 6–1–1 | 3rd | | 18 | 12 |
| 1975 | Denny Stolz | 7–4 | 4–4 | T–3rd | | | |
| Darryl Rogers (Big Ten) (1976–1979) ||||||||
| 1976 | Darryl Rogers | 4–6–1 | 3–5 | T–7th | | | |
| 1977 | Darryl Rogers | 7–3–1 | 6–1–1 | 3rd | | | |
| 1978 | Darryl Rogers | 8–3 | 7–1 | T–1st | | | 12 |
| 1979 | Darryl Rogers | 5–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | | | |
| Muddy Waters (Big Ten) (1980–1982) ||||||||
| 1980 | Muddy Waters | 3–8 | 2–6 | 9th | | | |
| 1981 | Muddy Waters | 5–6 | 4–5 | T–6th | | | |
| 1982 | Muddy Waters | 2–9 | 2–7 | T–8th | | | |
| George Perles (Big Ten) (1983–1994) ||||||||
| 1983 | George Perles | 4–6–1 | 2–6–1 | 7th | | | |
| 1984 | George Perles | 6–6 | 5–4 | T–6th | L Cherry | | |
| 1985 | George Perles | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Hall of Fame Classic | | |
| 1986 | George Perles | 6–5 | 4–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1987 | George Perles | 9–2–1 | 7–0–1 | 1st | W Rose | 8 | 8 |
| 1988 | George Perles | 6–5–1 | 6–1–1 | 2nd | L Gator | | |
| 1989 | George Perles | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–3rd | W Aloha | 16 | 16 |
| 1990 | George Perles | 8–3–1 | 6–2 | T–1st | W John Hancock | 14 | 16 |
| 1991 | George Perles | 3–8 | 3–5 | T–6th | | | |
| 1992 | George Perles | 5–6 | 5–3 | 3rd | | | |
| 1993 | George Perles | 6–6 | 4–4 | 7th | L Liberty | | |
| 1994 | George Perles | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | | | |
| Nick Saban (Big Ten) (1995–1999) ||||||||
| 1995 | Nick Saban | 6–5–1 | 4–3–1 | 5th | L Independence | | |
| 1996 | Nick Saban | 6–6 | 5–3 | T–5th | L Sun | | |
| 1997 | Nick Saban | 7–5 | 4–4 | T–6th | L Aloha | | |
| 1998 | Nick Saban | 6–6 | 4–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1999 | Nick Saban | 10–2 | 6–2 | T–2nd | W Citrus | 7 | 7 |
| Bobby Williams (Big Ten) (2000–2002) ||||||||
| 2000 | Bobby Williams | 5–6 | 2–6 | T–9th | | | |
| 2001 | Bobby Williams | 7–5 | 3–5 | T–8th | W Silicon Valley Classic | | |
| 2002 | Bobby Williams | 4–8 | 2–6 | T–8th | | | |
| John L. Smith (Big Ten) (2003–2006) ||||||||
| 2003 | John L. Smith | 8–5 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Alamo | | |
| 2004 | John L. Smith | 5–7 | 4–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 2005 | John L. Smith | 5–6 | 2–6 | 9th | | | |
| 2006 | John L. Smith | 4–8 | 1–7 | T–10th | | | |
| Mark Dantonio (Big Ten) (2007–2019) ||||||||
| 2007 | Mark Dantonio | 7–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | L Champs Sports | | |
| 2008 | Mark Dantonio | 9–4 | 6–2 | 3rd | L Capital One | 24 | 24 |
| 2009 | Mark Dantonio | 6–7 | 4–4 | T–6th | L Alamo | | |
| 2010 | Mark Dantonio | 11–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | L Capital One | 14 | 14 |
| 2011 | Mark Dantonio | 11–3 | 7–1 | 1st (Legends) | W Outback | 10 | 11 |
| 2012 | Mark Dantonio | 7–6 | 3–5 | 4th (Legends) | W Buffalo Wild Wings | | |
| 2013 | Mark Dantonio | 13–1 | 8–0 | 1st (Legends) | W Rose$^†$ | 3 | 3 |
| 2014 | Mark Dantonio | 11–2 | 7–1 | 2nd (East) | W Cotton$^†$ | 5 | 5 |
| 2015 | Mark Dantonio | 12–2 | 7–1 | T–1st (East) | L Cotton$^†$ (CFP Semifinal) | 6 | 6 |
| 2016 | Mark Dantonio | 3–9 | 1–8 | 6th (East) | | | |
| 2017 | Mark Dantonio | 10–3 | 7–2 | T–2nd (East) | W Holiday | 16 | 15 |
| 2018 | Mark Dantonio | 7–6 | 5–4 | 4th (East) | L Redbox | | |
| 2019 | Mark Dantonio | 7–6 | 4–5 | 5th (East) | W Pinstripe | | |
| Mel Tucker (Big Ten) (2020–2023) ||||||||
| 2020 | Mel Tucker | 2–5 | 2–5 | 7th (East) | | | |
| 2021 | Mel Tucker | 11–2 | 7–2 | 3rd (East) | W Peach$^†$ | 8 | 9 |
| 2022 | Mel Tucker | 5–7 | 3–6 | 5th (East) | | | |
| 2023 | Mel Tucker | 4–8 | 2–7 | 6th (East) | | | |
| Jonathan Smith (Big Ten) (2024–present) ||||||||
| 2024 | Jonathan Smith | 5–7 | 3–6 | T–12th | | | |
| Total: | Total: | 735-494-44 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ||||||||