American college football season
The 1979 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season . In their fourth season under head coach Darryl Rogers , the Spartans compiled a 5–6 overall record (3–5 against Big Ten opponents) and finished in a tie for sixth place in the Big Ten Conference .[ 1] [ 2]
Three Spartans were selected by either the Associated Press (AP) or the United Press International (UPI) as first-team players on the 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football teams : tight end Mark Brammer (UPI-1); linebacker Danny Bass (AP-1); and punter Ray Stachowitz (AP-1).[ 3]
Following the season, Rogers departed East Lansing to assume the same position at Arizona State . Ironically, the man Rogers replaced in Tempe, Frank Kush , was an All-America lineman for the Spartans under Biggie Munn in 1952.
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 8 Illinois No. 10 W 33–1671,125 [ 4]
September 15 Oregon * No. 10 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI W 41–1776,123 [ 5]
September 22 Miami (OH) * No. 8 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI W 24–2178,582 [ 6]
September 29 at No. 15 Notre Dame * No. 7 L 3–2759,075 [ 7]
October 6 No. 11 Michigan No. 16 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry ) L 7–2179,311 [ 8] [ 9]
October 13 at Wisconsin No. 19 L 29–3877,083 [ 10]
October 20 No. 16 Purdue Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI L 7–1479,561 [ 11]
October 27 at No. 4 Ohio State L 0–4287,747 [ 12]
November 3 at Northwestern W 42–720,193 [ 13]
November 10 Minnesota Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI W 31–1775,433 [ 14]
November 17 at Iowa L 23–3356,320 [ 15]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[ 16]
1979 Michigan State Spartans football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
^ "Michigan State Yearly Results (1975-1979)" . College Football Data Warehouse . David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 13, 2015 .
^ "2015 Michigan State Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Michigan State University. p. 147. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016 .
^ "Blue lands four All-Big Ten spots: OSU places six, Purdue five" . The Michigan Daily . November 29, 1979. p. 9.
^ "MSU rolls over Illini 33–16 as Andersen, Vaughn star" . The Lima News . September 9, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Michigan State swamp Oregon in 41–17 rout" . The Winona Daily News . September 16, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Michigan State rally wins 24–21" . The Courier-Journal . September 23, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Notre Dame rips Michigan State 27–3" . The Santa Fe New Mexican . September 30, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Charlie Vincent (October 7, 1979). "U-M air blitz rips MSU, 21-7: Bo won't open up? Two 2d half TD passes jar Spartans" . Detroit Free Press . pp. 1F, 4F – via Newspapers.com .
^ Geoff Larcom (October 7, 1979). "Michigan chills muffled MSU attack, 21-7: Offense finally clicks; Sparta is conquered" . The Michigan Daily . p. 1 – via Bentley Historical Library .
^ "Spirited Badgers upset MSU" . Wisconsin State Journal . October 14, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Lackluster contest won by Purdue" . The Des Moines Register . October 21, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Ohio State rolls by Spartans 42–0" . The Tampa Tribune-Times . October 28, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Reserve QB leads MSU over 'Cats" . The Rock Island Argus . November 4, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Spartans forsake passing game, run past Gophers" . Battle Creek Enquirer & News . November 11, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Mosley earns rushing title as Iowa triumphs" . The Pantagraph . November 18, 1979. Retrieved October 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1979 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 27, 2024 .
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