1989 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1989 Michigan State Spartans football Big Ten Conference Big Ten 16 16 8–4 6–2 George Perles 7th Morris Watts 4th Norm Parker 2nd Percy Snow Harlon Barnett Bob Kula Steve Montgomery Spartan Stadium Aloha Bowl champion Aloha Bowl W 33–13 vs. Hawaii The 1989 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan and were coached by George Perles. The team finished the season 8–4 overall and 6–2 in conference play. The Spartans were invited to the 1989 Aloha Bowl where they defeated Hawaii, 33–13. The Spartans were ranked No. 16 in the final AP Poll and Coaches Poll. Schedule 1989 AP Central September 16 1:05 p.m. w y Miami (OH) Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 49–0 66,474 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-muskegon-chronicle-nasty-spartans-m/174115514/ The Muskegon Chronicle Nasty Spartans; MSU mugs Miami of Ohio in rainy season opener, 49–0 September 17, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com September 23 2:30 p.m. l y y Notre Dame 1 Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry CBS 13–21 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-houston-post-notre-dame-digs-deep-to/173904593/ The Houston Post Notre Dame digs deep to bury Michigan St. September 24, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com September 30 3:30 p.m. l y Miami (FL) 2 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI ABC 20–26 76,217 https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-hurricanes-back/173906233/ Wisconsin State Journal Hurricanes, backup QB tip Spartans October 1, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com October 7 2:05 p.m. w y 24 Iowa Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA 17–14 67,700 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-hawks-go-down-trying/174182887/ The Gazette Hawks go down trying October 8, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com October 14 3:30 p.m. l 21 Michigan 5 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry ABC 7–10 76,913 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-u-m-defense-stymies-msu/174180585/ The Saginaw News U-M defense stymies MSU October 15, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com October 21 12:30 p.m. l y Illinois Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI ESPN 10–14 76,216 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-spartans-fumble-sets-u/174182137/ The Saginaw News Spartan's fumble sets up Illini victory October 22, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com October 28 2:01 p.m. w y Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 28–21 41,402 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republic-boiler-comeback-too-late/174183077/ The Republic Boiler comeback too late October 29, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com November 4 12:30 p.m. w y Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN rivalry ESPN 51–20 51,567 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-rapids-press-msu-wallops-india/174183248/ The Grand Rapids Press MSU wallops Indiana November 5, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com November 11 1:00 p.m. w Minnesota Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 21–7 73,259 https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-spartans-bid-gophers/174183357/ Detroit Free Press Spartans bid Gophers aloha in fourth, 21–7 November 12, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com November 18 1:05 p.m. w Northwestern Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 76–14 64,817 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-msu-beats-northwes/36162258/ Lansing State Journal MSU buries Wildcats November 19, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com November 25 2:05 p.m. w y 25 Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI 31–3 29,776 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-uw-leis-down-for-spart/174183561/ The Post-Crescent UW leis down for Spartans November 26, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com December 25 3:30 p.m. w y y 22 Hawaii 25 Aloha Stadium Honolulu, HI Aloha Bowl ABC 33–13 50,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-spartans-smash-hawaii/173990297/ Quad-City Times Spartans smash Hawaii December 26, 1989 June 9, 2025 Newspapers.com Rankings 1989 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 16 NR NR NR NR NR 24 21 NR NR NR NR NR 25 22 22 22 16 Coaches 0 16 NR NR NR NR NR NR 19 т NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR – 16 т Game summaries Miami (OH) October 2022 At Notre Dame Michigan State Spartans 2; text-align:center collapsed Michigan State Spartans (1–0) at #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2–0) September 23 2:30 p.m. EDT Michigan St 0 6 7 0 Notre Dame 7 7 0 7 Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana 59,075 CBS Recap/Box Score First quarter ND – Ricky Watters 2-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 4:54. Notre Dame 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 6:16. Second quarter ND – Ricky Watters 53-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 9:10. Notre Dame 14–0. MSU – John Langeloh 36-yard field goal, 2:54. Notre Dame 14–3. MSU – John Langeloh 38-yard field goal, 0:00. Notre Dame 14–6. Third quarter MSU – James Bradley 30-yard pass from Dan Enos (John Langeloh kick), 6:36. Notre Dame 14–13. Fourth quarter ND – Anthony Johnson 1-yard run (Craig Hentrich kick), 8:16. Notre Dame 21–13. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards. Top passers MSU – Dan Enos – 18/28, 200 yards, TD ND – Tony Rice – 8/15, 90 yards Top rushers MSU – Hyland Hickson – 26 rushes, 84 yards ND – Ricky Watters – 16 rushes, 89 yards, 2 TD Top receivers MSU – Courtney Hawkins – 6 receptions, 83 yards ND – Raghib Ismail – 2 receptions, 27 yards Miami (FL) #2 Miami (FL) at Michigan State Hurricanes 3 7 10 6 Spartans 3 7 3 7 September 30 Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan 76,217 Jim Kemerling Gary Bender, Dick Vermeil, Cheryl Miller ABC 1 7:56 MIA Huerta 32-yard field goal MIA 3–0 yes 1 3:59 MSU Langeloh 46-yard field goal Tied 3–3 2 5:32 MSU Enos 19-yard run (Langeloh kick) MSU 10–3 2 2:14 MIA Carroll 5-yard pass from Torretta (Huerta kick) Tied 10–10 3 11:52 MIA Johnson 38-yard run (Huerta kick) MIA 17–10 3 6:42 MIA Huerta 27-yard field goal MIA 20–10 3 2:48 MSU Langeloh 27-yard field goal MIA 20–13 4 MSU Harlon Barnett 35-yard interception return Tied 20–20 4 5:04 MIA Huerta 27-yard field goal MIA 23–20 4 0:54 MIA Huerta 52-yard field goal MIA 26–20 yes 1989 Miami Hurricanes football team Miami 26, Michigan State 20 https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/09/30/Miami-26-Michigan-State-20/4621623131200/ United Press International September 30, 1989 November 9, 2019 At Iowa October 2022 Michigan Paul Bunyan Trophy Michigan State Spartans 2; text-align:center collapsed #5 Michigan Wolverines (3–1) at #21 Michigan State Spartans (2–2) October 14, 1989 3:30 p.m. Michigan 7 3 0 0 Michigan St 0 0 0 7 Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan 76,913 Sunny, 82 F C Ron Winter ABC Box Score left Michigan Wolverines Michigan Michigan State Spartans Michigan St Elvis Grbac 8/15, 76 Yds, INT Tony Boles 22 Rush, 100 Yds Greg McMurtry 2 Rec, 33 Yds Dan Enos 21/31, 214 Yds, TD, 2 INT Blake Ezor 27 Rush, 69 Yds Courtney Hawkins 8 Rec, 89 Yds, TD UM MSU collapsed 1 12:20 Michigan 12 61 6:31 RushTD Leroy Hoard 1 good J.D. Carlson run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 0 2 5:44 Michigan 13 56 6:00 FG 35 J.D. Carlson 10 0 4 9:51 Michigan St 8 52 3:16 RecTD Courtney Hawkins Dan Enos 4 good John Langeloh run/pass good/failed/incomplete 10 7 10 7 Illinois October 2022 At Purdue Michigan State Spartans 2; text-align:center collapsed Michigan State Spartans (2–4) at Purdue Boilermakers (1–5) October 24, 1989 Michigan St 0 28 Purdue 0 21 Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana 41,402 https://historicalnewspapers.lib.purdue.edu/?a=d&d=PE19891030-01.1.24&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------1 Rally Leaves Spartans Grateful Bedics Mark October 30, 1989 The Purdue Exponent Archives December 23, 2022 Courtney Hawkins set single game school receiving yardage record https://historicalnewspapers.lib.purdue.edu/?a=d&d=PE19891030-01.1.24&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------1 Rally Leaves Spartans Grateful Bedics Mark October 30, 1989 The Purdue Exponent Archives December 23, 2022 left Michigan State Spartans Michigan St Purdue Boilermakers Purdue Courtney Hawkins 7 Rec, 193 Yds, TD Eric Hunter 18/26, 253 Yds, 3 TD, INT MSU PUR collapsed 3 Michigan St RecTD Courtney Hawkins Dan Enos 80 good run/pass good/failed/incomplete 14 0 4 Purdue RecTD Calvin Williams Eric Hunter good Larry Sullivan run/pass good/failed/incomplete 28 7 4 Purdue 5 69 RecTD Rod Dennis Eric Hunter 20 good Larry Sullivan run/pass good/failed/incomplete 28 14 4 Purdue 2 41 RecTD Abe Hoskins Eric Hunter 34 good Larry Sullivan run/pass good/failed/incomplete 28 21 28 21 At Indiana October 2022 Minnesota October 2022 Northwestern October 2022 At Wisconsin Michigan St 7 3 7 14 Wisconsin 0 3 0 0 MSU: Ezor 3 run (Langeloh kick) MSU: Langeloh 23 FG WIS: Thompson 36 FG MSU: Ezor 1 run (Langeloh kick) MSU: Enos 7 run (Langeloh kick) MSU: Ezor 56 run (Langeloh kick) Attendance: 29,776 Rushing: MSU Ezor 30-187; WIS Hunt 7-19 Passing: MSU Enos 7-14-64; WIS Wilson 18-27-202 Receiving: MSU Hawkins 2-23; WIS Miller 7-67 Ocala Star-Banner. "Saturday's Summaries." pg. 8C. 1989-Nov-26. Retrieved 2023-Jan-17. Aloha Bowl (vs. Hawaii) October 2022 Personnel 1989 Michigan State Spartans f James Bradley WR Tico Duckett RB 4 Jr Dan Enos QB y 26 Sr Blake Ezor RB y John Gieselman QB Ty Hallock RB Courtney Hawkins WR y Courtney Hawkins (American football) Hyland Hickson RB Jim Johnson OL Matt Keller OL Bob Kula OL Carlos Marino TE Steve Montgomery RB 77 Jr Eric Moten OT y Jeff Pearson OL Kurt Prins TE Rob Roy RB Scott Selzer RB Brian Smolinski WR Randy Vanderbush QB Roosevelt Wagner OL 29 Jr Duane Young TE y 36 Sr Harlon Barnett CB y Tony Briningstool LB Chuck Bullough LB Travis Davis DL Ventson Donelson DB Dixon Edwards LB Alan Haller DB 9 Jr Mike Iaquaniello DB y 51 Jr Carlos Jenkins LB y Bill Johnson DL Brian Jones LB Todd Murray DB Tim Ridinger DL 48 Sr Percy Snow LB y 91 Sr Jim Szymanski DE y 66 Sr Matt Vanderbeek DE y Chris Willertz DL Bobby Wilson DL Freddie Wilson DB Josh Butland P John Langeloh K *George Perles 1990 NFL draft The following players were selected in the 1990 NFL draft. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1990.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071220211214/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1990.htm 2007-12-20 1990 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com Pro-Football-Reference.com Michigan State Spartans Player Round Pick Position NFL team Percy Snow 1 13 Linebacker Kansas City Chiefs Travis Davis 4 85 Nose tackle Phoenix Cardinals Harlon Barnett 4 101 Defensive back Cleveland Browns Bob Kula 7 175 Tackle Seattle Seahawks Jim Szymanski 10 259 Defensive end Denver Broncos Ventson Donelson 12 309 Defensive back New England Patriots References Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Category:Aloha Bowl champion seasons Michigan State Spartans football