1941 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1941 Michigan State Spartans football 1941 Michigan State Spartans football team.png 285 Independent 5–3–1 Charlie Bachman 9th Anthony Arena Wilford D. Davis William Rupp Macklin Field The 1941 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1941 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 5–3–1 record and lost their annual rivalry game with Michigan by a 19 to 7 score. In inter-sectional play, the team lost to Santa Clara (7–0) and defeated Temple (46–0) and West Virginia (14–12).2016 Football Media Guide Michigan State University 146, 153 June 16, 2017 http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf January 17, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170117203046/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf dead1941 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football June 16, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1941-schedule.html Michigan State was ranked at No. 43 (out of 681 teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1941.Gophers Grid Kings Over 6-Year Span: Tennessee 2d, Pitt 3d Over Period Litkenhous Ratins Are Published The Courier-Journal Dr. E. E. Litkenhous December 26, 1941 Sports 4 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123088221/gophers-grid-kings-over-6-year-span/ Newspapers.com Schedule y y September 27 at Michigan Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry) L 7-19 67,079 U-M Beats State, 19-7; Titans Win Detroit Free Press John N. Sabo September 28, 1941 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35904712/um_beats_state_197_titans_win/ Newspapers.com October 11 Marquette Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 13-7 15,000 Lansing Backs Lead Spartans in 13-7 Victory Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton October 12, 1941 1, 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30320458/lansing_backs_lead_spartans_in_137/ Newspapers.com October 18 at Santa Clara Kezar Stadium San Francisco, CA L 0-7 18,000 'Lucky' Broncs Defeat Spartans, 7 to 0 Oakland Tribune Bill Tobitt October 19, 1941 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682130/lucky_broncs_defeat_spartans_7_to_0/ Newspapers.com October 25 Wayne Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 39-6 15,200 Wayne Tallies at the Gun as State Wins, 39 to 6 Detroit Free Press Charles P. Ward October 26, 1941 Sports 1, 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18889310/wayne_tallies_at_the_gun_as_state_wins/ Newspapers.com November 1 Missouri<hc> Macklin Field East Lansing, MI L 0-19 15,750 Missouri Eleven Spoils State Homecoming, 19-0 The Lansing State Journal November 2, 1941 17, 19 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35813598/missouri_eleven_spoils_state/ Newspapers.com November 8 at Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN T 0-0 17,000 Purdue In 0-0 Tie: Boilermaker Threats Fail The Muncie Sunday Star Harold Harrison November 9, 1941 Sports 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35807375/purdue_in_00_tie_boilermaker_threats/ Newspapers.com November 15 Temple Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 46-0 10,123 State Drubs Temple, 46-0: Defeat Worst in History for Owls Detroit Free Press Dale Stafford November 16, 1941 9 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35904984/state_drubs_temple_460_defeat_worst/ Newspapers.com November 22 1941 Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops Ohio Wesleyan Macklin Field East Lansing, MI W 31-7 10,000 Wesleyan Crushed by State, 31-7 Lansing State Journal November 23, 1941 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35905102/wesleyan_crushed_by_state_317/ Newspapers.com November 29 at West Virginia Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV W 14-12 10,126 Michigan State Noses Out West Virginia, 14 To 12 The Pittsburgh Press November 30, 1941 III-12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35904173/michigan_state_noses_out_west_virginia/ Newspapers.com Game summaries Michigan Michigan State at Michigan Michigan State Michigan 7 0 0 0 0 7 12 0 September 27, 1941 Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI 67,079 On September 27, 1941, Michigan State lost Michigan by a 19 to 7 score. The game was Michigan's first without Tom Harmon, who had led the Wolverines from 1938 to 1940. Sophomore tailback Tom Kuzma, from Harmon's home town of Gary, Indiana, took over Harmon's spot and scored two touchdowns in his first game for the Wolverines. Michigan State took the lead on the third play from scrimmage with a 74-yard sweep around left end by halfback Jack Fenton. Michigan came back with a touchdown in the second quarter and two more in the third quarter. In addition to Kuzma's two touchdowns, fullback Bob Westfall also scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Bob Ingalls kicked for one point after touchdown for Michigan. Michigan out-gained Michigan State on the ground with 235 rushing yards to 104 for the Spartans. Wilfrid Smith of the Chicago Tribune wrote that the key to Michigan's victory was its veteran line that "completely outplayed" the Spartans' line.Wolverines Top State, 19-7, By 3d Period Drive: Spartans Score on 74 Yard Run Wilfrid Smith Chicago Tribune September 28, 1941 2-1 http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1941/09/28/page/33/article/michigan-wins-notre-dame-routs-arizonaMichigan Rallies for 19-7 Triumph: 67,079 See Fenton's 74-Yard Run in First Two Minutes Put Michigan State Ahead The New York Times (AP story) September 28, 1941 https://www.nytimes.com/1941/09/28/archives/michigan-rallies-for-197-triumph-67079-see-fentons-74yard-run-in.html References Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Michigan State Spartans football