2001 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 2001 Michigan State Spartans football Big Ten Conference Big Ten 7–5 3–5 Bobby Williams 2nd Morris Watts 11th Bill Miller 3rd Spartan Stadium Silicon Valley Football Classic champion Silicon Valley Football Classic W 44–35 vs. Fresno State The 2001 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Bobby Williams, the Spartans compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for eighth place in the Big Ten. Michigan State was invited to the Silicon Valley Football Classic, where the Spartans defeated Fresno State. The team played home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The controversial final play of the home game against Michigan on November 3 led to a change in the official timekeeping policy of the Big Ten Conference. Beginning in 2002, a neutral official appointed by the Big Ten keeps track of the game time on the field. Schedule 2001 AP Eastern September 8 1:00 p.m. w y Central Michigan Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 35–21 73,879 Miscues don't cost MSU: Despite four blocked punts, three turnovers, Spartans too much for CMU, 35-21 Lansing State Journal Jack Ebling September 9, 2001 Sports 1, 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99370819/miscues-dont-cost-msu-despite-four/ Newspapers.com September 22 2:30 p.m. w y y Notre Dame 23 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN NBC rivalry 17–10 80,795 September 29 3:30 p.m. l y 23 Northwestern 16 Ryan Field Evanston, IL ABC 26–27 40,103 October 13 12:00 p.m. w y Iowa Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI ESPN2 31–28 73,680 October 20 12:00 p.m. l y Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN 19–28 47,385 October 27 12:00 p.m. w y Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI ESPN Plus 42–28 79,108 November 3 3:30 p.m. w Michigan 6 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry ABC 26–24 75,262 Michigan vs. Michigan State http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/scores101/101307/101307384.htm USA Today November 3, 2001 January 6, 2014 November 10 12:00 p.m. l 22 Indiana Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry 28–37 73,990 November 17 12:00 p.m. l y Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN ESPN2 14–24 55,660 November 24 3:30 p.m. l Penn State Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry ESPN 37–42 72,658 December 1 11:00 a.m. w y Missouri Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI ESPN2 55–7 72,823 Spartans cruise, eye bowl bid https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald/184221133/ November 2, 2025 The Times Herald Associated Press December 2, 2001 1C Newspapers.com December 31 3:00 p.m. w y y Fresno State 20 Spartan Stadium San Jose, CA Silicon Valley Football Classic FSN 44–35 30,456 Note: The Missouri game originally scheduled for September 15 was rescheduled to December 1 because of the September 11 attacks. Roster 2001 Michigan State Spartans f 1 So Charles Rogers Charles Rogers (wide receiver) WR y 8 Sr T. J. Duckett RB y 9 So Jeff Smoker QB y 76 Fr Will Whitticker G y 83 Sr Chris Baker Chris Baker (tight end) TE y 95 So Matthias Askew DE y 42 So Mike Labinjo LB y 44 Fr Ronald Stanley LB y 95 Sr Josh Shaw Josh Shaw (defensive tackle) DT y 16 Fr Dave Rayner K y https://web.archive.org/web/20011220005652/http://msuspartans.fansonly.com:80/sports/m-footbl/mtt/msu-m-footbl-mtt-num.html Bobby Williams Morris Watts(offensive coordinator) Reggie Mitchell (running backs coach) Don Treadwell (wide receivers coach) Pat Perles (tight ends coach) Jeff Stoutland (offensive line coach) Brad Miller (defensive coordinator) Sal Sunseri (special teams coordinator, linebackers coach) Troy Douglas (defensive backs coach) Brad Lawing (recruiting coordinator) Matt House (graduate assistant) References Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Category:Silicon Valley Football Classic champion seasons Michigan State Spartans football