1951 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1951 Michigan State Spartans football 1951 Michigan State Spartans football team.png 285 Independent 2 2 9–0 Biggie Munn 5th Don Coleman LeRoy R. Crane Macklin Stadium National champion (Billingsley, Helms, Poling) The 1951 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1951 college football season. In their fifth season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled a perfect 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 270 to 114.2016 Football Media Guide Michigan State University 146, 154 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 dead1951 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football June 16, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1951-schedule.html The Spartans played their home games at Macklin Stadium (now known as Spartan Stadium) in East Lansing, Michigan. In the final AP and UPI coaches polls, both released on December 3, 1951, Michigan State was ranked No. 2 behind No. 1 Tennessee. Tennessee went on to lose to No. 3 Maryland in the 1952 Sugar Bowl. However, neither the AP nor UPI took post-bowl polls in this time period. In later rankings and analyses, Michigan State was recognized as the 1951 national champion by three NCAA-recognized selectors: Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, and Poling System. Other selectors have designated Maryland as the national champion.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2018 December 11, 2018 113 Two Michigan State players, end Bob Carey and tackle Don Coleman, were recognized as consensus first-team players on the 1951 College Football All-America Team.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 8 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Two other Spartans were designated as first-team All-Americans by one or more selectors: Al Dorow (first-team defensive back selected by the International News Service) and Jim Ellis (first-team defensive back selected by the Chicago Tribune.Wheat, Lauricella, Daffer Named on INS All-America Team Rome News-Tribune INS November 26, 1951Arch Ward Players Name 1951 All-American Teams: Football Stars Who Rate as Nation's Best Offensive Group Chicago Daily Tribune December 9, 1951 https://secure.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/498371282.html?dids=498371282:498371282&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+09,+1951&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=PLAYERS+NAME+1951+ALL-AMERICA+TEAMS&pqatl=google September 24, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20120303122401/https://secure.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/498371282.html?dids=498371282:498371282&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+09,+1951&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=PLAYERS+NAME+1951+ALL-AMERICA+TEAMS&pqatl=google March 3, 2012 dead thumb|right|280px|Program for the 1951 season opener. Schedule 1951 AP September 22 w 2 Oregon State Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 6–0 33,373 Spartans Edge Past OSC To Win 1951 Opener, 6-0: Ellis Paces Team With Long Runs Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton September 23, 1951 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182296/spartans-edge-past-osc-to-win-1951/ Newspapers.com September 29 w y 2 Michigan Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI rivalry 25–0 97,239 Spartan Power Crushes Wolverine Hopes, 25-0: MSC's Defense Is Rock-Ribbed; Ellis, Benson and Dorow Spark Win; Widest Margin Over Michigan Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton September 30, 1951 1, IV-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182549/spartan-power-crushes-wolverine-hopes/ Newspapers.com October 6 w y 1 Ohio State 7 Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH 24–20 82,640 Never-Say-Die Spartans Tip OSU Detroit Free Press Tommy Devine October 7, 1951 C1, C3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99226111/never-say-die-spartans-tip-osu/ Newspapers.com October 13 w 1 Marquette Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 20–14 39,251 Late Rally by Michigan State Turns Back Marquette, 20-14: Spartans Overcome 8-Point Deficit The Pittsburgh Press October 14, 1951 63 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99226591/late-rally-by-michigan-state-turns-back/ Newspapers.com October 20 w y 3 Penn State New Beaver Field University Park, PA rivalry 32–21 30,684 Michigan State's Second-Half Rally Beats Lions, 32-21 The Pittsburgh Press Carl Hughes October 21, 1951 61 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99227059/michigan-states-second-half-rally/ Newspapers.com October 27 w y 2 Pittsburgh Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 53–26 42,163 Spartans Gladden Old Grads, 53-26: Pitt Passes Scare MSC In 1st Half; Munn's Team Outscores Panthers in Last Two Periods, 33-7 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton October 28, 1951 51, 52 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182593/spartans-gladden-old-grads-53-26-pitt/ Newspapers.com November 10 w 5 Notre Dame 11 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry 35–0 51,296 Rout of Notre Dame Bolsters M.S.C. Bid for National Title: Near-Record Crowd Sees Stunned Irish Humbled by State Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 11, 1951 1, IV-1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182442/rout-of-notre-dame-bolsters-msc-bid/ Newspapers.com November 17 w y 1 Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN rivalry 30–26 16,000 MSC Teeters, Then Indiana Bows, 30-26 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 18, 1951 51–52 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182662/msc-teeters-then-indiana-bows-30-26/ Newspapers.com November 24 w 2 Colorado Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 45–7 29,987 Spartans Complete Unbeaten Season: MSC Eleven Rips Past Colorado For 9th Victory Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 25, 1951 53, 54 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99182398/spartans-nine-game-road-to-undefeated/ Newspapers.com http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2009-2010/1951.html Football Statistics Summary for 1951 msuspartans.com July 26, 2013 References Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Michigan State Spartans football