1957 Michigan State Spartans football team

1957 Michigan State Spartans football
National champion (Dunkel)
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
Record8–1 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPDan Currie
CaptainPatrick F. Burke
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
Seasons
← 1956
1958 →
1957 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Ohio State $ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. 3 Michigan State 5 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
No. 6 Iowa 4 – 1 – 1 7 – 1 – 1
No. 19 Wisconsin 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Purdue 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Michigan 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Illinois 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Minnesota 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Indiana 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Northwestern 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1957 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1957 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fourth season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled an 8–1 overall record (5–1 against Big Ten opponents), finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 3 in both the final AP and Coaches polls.[1][2] Michigan State was named national champion by Dunkel System, an NCAA-designated major selector.[3]

Six Spartans were selected as first-team players on the 1957 All-Big Ten Conference football team: quarterback Jim Ninowski (AP-1, UP-1); fullback Walt Kowalczyk (AP-1, UP-1); center Dan Currie (AP-1, UP-1); tackle Pat Burke (AP-1, UP-1); end Sam Williams (UP-1); and guard Ellison Kelly (UP-1).[4]

The 1957 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 54 to 0 score. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish by a 34 to 6 score. And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Wolverines by a 35 to 6 score.[2]

In non-conference play, the Spartans also defeated California, 19–0, and Kansas State, 27–9.[2]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 28IndianaNo. 4
W 54–052,162
October 5at California*No. 2
W 19–040,000
October 12at No. 6 MichiganNo. 2
W 35–6101,001[5]
October 19PurdueNo. 1
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
L 13–2064,950
October 26No. 16 IllinoisdaggerNo. 8
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 19–1464,353
November 2at WisconsinNo. 6
W 21–749,826
November 9No. 15 Notre Dame*No. 4
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 34–675,391
November 16MinnesotaNo. 4
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 42–1365,718
November 23Kansas State*No. 1
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 27–935,989
  • *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 "1957 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 113. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  4. ^ "Coaches' All-Big Ten Team". The Sandusky Register. November 30, 1957. p. 8.
  5. ^ Tommy Devine (October 13, 1957). "Spartans Brush Off M, 35-6". Detroit Free Press. p. E1 – via Newspapers.com.


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