The 1974 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State University in the 1974 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Denny Stolz, the Spartans compiled a 7–3–1 record, finished in third place in the Big Ten, and were ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll. Quarterback Charlie Baggett was selected as the team's most valuable player.

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 14	Northwestern		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 41–7	49,103
September 21	Syracuse*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 19–0	66,847
September 28	at UCLA*		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA		L 14–56	44,026
October 5	No. 7 Notre Dame*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)		L 14–19	77,431
October 12	at No. 4 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)		L 7–21	104,682
October 19	at Illinois		Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL		T 21–21	55,677
October 26	Purdue		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 31–7	63,321
November 2	at No. 20 Wisconsin		Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI		W 28–21	78,848
November 9	No. 1 Ohio State		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ABC	W 16–13	78,533
November 16	at Indiana	No. 15	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN (rivalry)		W 19–10	25,492
November 23	Iowa	No. 14	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 60–21	51,002
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

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On October 12, 1974, Michigan State lost to Michigan by a 21-7 score. The game, played at Michigan Stadium, attracted a crowd of 104,682, reported to be "the second largest crowd in modern N.C.A.A. history" behind the 1973 Michigan-Ohio State game.^[2] Gordon Bell led Michigan's rushing attack with 73 yards on 16 carries, including a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Dennis Franklin completed five of nine passes for 84 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jim Smith in the second quarter, but left the game in the third quarter with bruised ribs. Linebacker Dan Jilek also scored in the second quarter when he forced a fumble on a punt attempt and then recovered it in the end zone.^[2]

Michigan State manages a considerable upset at home, topping then #1 Ohio State, 16-13. Fullback Levi Jackson scores the final points of the game on an 88-yard TD run, followed by a Hans Neilsen point after touchdown. In a tumultuous finish, Ohio State fails to convert at the Spartans' 1-yard line as time expires. Big Ten Commissioner Wayne Duke went to referee Gene Calhoun and the team of officials to confirm that the Buckeyes had not attempted their second-down play before the clock ran out.

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