1928 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1928 Michigan State Spartans football 1928 Michigan State Spartans football team.png 285 Independent 3–4–1 Harry Kipke 1st Lewis A. Hornbeck College Field The 1928 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College (MAC) as an independent during the 1928 college football season. In their first and only year under head coach Harry Kipke, the Spartans compiled a 3–4–1 record and outscored their opponents 153 to 66.2017 Football Media Guide Michigan State University 142, 148 March 17, 2020 https://s3.amazonaws.com/msuspartans.com/documents/2017/8/3/_msu_m_footbl_2017_18_misc_non_event__spartan-history.pdf1928 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football June 16, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1928-schedule.html On September 29, in their first game under coach Kipke, the Spartans scored 103 points against 1928 Kalamazoo Hornets Kalamazoo, a total that was erroneously reported to be a school record. The team scored 39 points in the first half but scored at an even higher pace in the second half. The Spartans scored six touchdowns in the third quarter. Sophomore Carl Nordberg played quarterback, scored three touchdowns and was credited with running the team with precision and making several brilliant runs. Substitute halfback Max Crall scored four touchdowns, including long touchdown runs of 60 and 80 yards. One week after their record-setting victory, the Spartans were upset by 1928 Albion Britons Albion by a 2 to 0 score. The game's only points were scored on a safety when Michigan State halfback Grove muffed a pass behind the goal line after trying to punt. On November 17, the Spartans lost their annual rivalry game against Michigan by a 3–0 score in Ann Arbor.State Puts Up Hard Fight and Limits Michigan to 3-0 Victory: Hughes Register From Placement in Second Period Detroit Free Press Harry Bullion November 18, 1928 21, 22 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21595097/state_puts_up_hard_fight_and_limits/ Newspapers.com In June 1929, Kipke was hired as the University of Michigan's new head coach.Kipke Given Wieman's Job The Daily Journal-Gazette and Commercial Star (Mattoon, Illinois) June 12, 1929 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2757383/kipke_given_wiemans_job/ Upon being hired by Michigan, Kipke said, "Coaching Michigan is the greatest football job in America. I would be foolish to turn down such an offer. It has been one of my greatest ambitions in life."'Greatest Ambition in Life Came True,' Says Harry Kipke The News-Palladium June 13, 1929 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2757611/greatest_ambition_in_life_came_true/ Schedule y y September 29 1928 Kalamazoo Hornets Kalamazoo College Field East Lansing, MI W 103-0 15,000 Kipke Eleven Swamps Kazoo In Record Game Detroit Free Press September 30, 1928 17 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35402785/kipke_eleven_swamps_kazoo_in_record_game/ Newspapers.com(erroneously referring to the result as a school scoring record -- the Spartans previously scored 109 points against Olivet College in 1920) October 6 Albion College Field East Lansing, MI L 0-2 6,000–7,000 Albion Upsets Spartans, 2-0: Grove's Muff of Pass Behind State's Goal Line Results in Score Detroit Free Press October 7, 1928 22 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35403820/albion_upsets_spartans_20/ Newspapers.comMichigan State Chastened By Surprising Albion Win Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton October 8, 1928 13 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-michigan-state-cha/140413215/ Newspapers.com October 13 Chicago YMCA College Field East Lansing, MI W 37-0 Spartans Beat Chicago Team Detroit Free Press October 14, 1928 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35403141/spartans_beat_chicago_team/ Newspapers.com October 20 Colgate<hc> College Field East Lansing, MI L 0-16 10,000 Colgate Beats State Eleven Detroit Free Press October 21, 1928 22 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35403701/colgate_beats_state_eleven/ Newspapers.com November 3 Mississippi A&M College Field East Lansing, MI T 6-6 Dixie Eleven Ties Spartans: Mississippi Saved from Defeat by Pass Over Goal in Fourth Quarter Detroit Free Press November 4, 1928 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35403615/dixie_eleven_ties_spartans_mississippi/ Newspapers.com November 10 at Detroit Dinan Field Detroit, MI L 0-39 Three Long Runs Help University of Detroit To Vanquish Michigan State, 39-0: Spartans Helpless Before Dorais Men Detroit Free Press W. W. Edgar November 11, 1928 19 https://freep.newspapers.com/clip/3703682/three_long_runs_help_university_of/ November 17 at Michigan Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry) L 0-3 28,067 November 24 NC State College Field East Lansing, MI W 7-0 Spartans Beat Southern Foe By Touchdown Detroit Free Press November 25, 1928 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35403468/spartans_beat_southern_foe_by_touchdown/ Newspapers.com References Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Michigan State Spartans football