1959 Michigan State Spartans football team

1959 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 16
Record5–4 (4–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPDean Look
CaptainDonald Wright
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
Seasons
← 1958
1960 →
1959 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Wisconsin $ 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Purdue 4 – 2 – 1 5 – 2 – 2
No. 13 Illinois 4 – 2 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Northwestern 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Iowa 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Michigan 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Indiana 2 – 4 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Ohio State 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1959 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1959 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 5–4 overall record (4–3 against Big Ten opponents), finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked #16 in the final Coaches Poll.[1][2]

Quarterback Dean Look was selected by the Associated Press (AP) as a first-team player on the 1959 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Three other Spartans were selected for the third team: halfback Herb Adderly; tackle Palmer Pyle; and center Dave Manders.[3][4]

The 1959 Spartans won all three of their annual rivalry games. In the annual Indiana–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers by a 14 to 6 score. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish by a 19 to 0 score. And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Wolverines by a 34 to 8 score.[2] In non-conference play, the Spartans lost to Texas A&M, 9–7, and the Miami Hurricanes, 18–13.[2]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26Texas A&M*
L 7–949,507
October 3at Michigan
W 34–8103,234[5]
October 10at No. 10 Iowa
L 8–3759,300
October 17Notre Dame*
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 19–073,480
October 24Indianadagger
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 14–654,611
October 31at Ohio State
L 24–3083,130
November 7No. 14 Purdue
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 15–058,203
November 14No. 6 NorthwesternNo. 19
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 15–1038,421
November 20at No. 18 Miami (FL)*No. 11
L 13–1840,870
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "1959 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. ^ Charles Chamberlain (November 24, 1959). "Lanphear Unanimous AP All-Big Ten Choice". The LaCrosse Tribune. p. 12.
  4. ^ Ed Sainsbury (November 27, 1959). "4 Northwestern gridders make UPI all-Big 10 team; Norton, Jeter place". Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa. p. 12.
  5. ^ Bob Pille (October 4, 1959). "Spartans Spank 'M' Good!". Detroit Free Press. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.


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