1928 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceIndependent
Record3–4–1
Head coach
CaptainLewis A. Hornbeck
Home stadiumCollege Field
Seasons
← 1927
1929 →
1928 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Detroit   –   9 – 0 – 0
Butler   –   6 – 2 – 0
John Carroll   –   6 – 3 – 0
Kent State   –   4 – 2 – 2
Marquette   –   5 – 3 – 1
Ball Teachers   –   3 – 2 – 2
Notre Dame   –   5 – 4 – 0
DePaul   –   4 – 4 – 1
Haskell   –   5 – 5 – 0
Saint Louis   –   4 – 4 – 1
Wabash   –   4 – 4 – 1
Loyola (IL)   –   4 – 4 – 0
Lombard   –   3 – 4 – 1
Michigan State   –   3 – 4 – 1
Detroit City College   –   2 – 5 – 1
Valparaiso   –   1 – 6 – 0

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.[1][2]

On September 29, in their first game under coach Kipke, the Spartans scored 103 points against Kalamazoo, a total that was erroneously reported to be a school record.[3] 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.[3]

One week after their record-setting victory, the Spartans were upset by 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.[4]

On November 17, the Spartans lost their annual rivalry game against Michigan by a 3–0 score in Ann Arbor.[5]

In June 1929, Kipke was hired as the University of Michigan's new head coach.[6] 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."[7]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29Kalamazoo
W 103–015,000[3]
October 6Albion
  • College Field
  • East Lansing, MI
L 0–26,000–7,000[4][8]
October 13Chicago YMCA
  • College Field
  • East Lansing, MI
W 37–0[9]
October 20Colgatedagger
  • College Field
  • East Lansing, MI
L 0–1610,000[10]
November 3Mississippi A&M
  • College Field
  • East Lansing, MI
T 6–6[11]
November 10at Detroit
L 0–39[12]
November 17at Michigan
L 0–328,067[5]
November 24NC State
  • College Field
  • East Lansing, MI
W 7–0[13]
  • daggerHomecoming

References

  1. ^ "2017 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 142, 148. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "1928 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Kipke Eleven Swamps Kazoo In Record Game". Detroit Free Press. September 30, 1928. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.(erroneously referring to the result as a school scoring record -- the Spartans previously scored 109 points against Olivet College in 1920)
  4. ^ a b "Albion Upsets Spartans, 2-0: Grove's Muff of Pass Behind State's Goal Line Results in Score". Detroit Free Press. October 7, 1928. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Harry Bullion (November 18, 1928). "State Puts Up Hard Fight and Limits Michigan to 3-0 Victory: Hughes Register From Placement in Second Period". Detroit Free Press. pp. 21, 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Kipke Given Wieman's Job". The Daily Journal-Gazette and Commercial Star (Mattoon, Illinois). June 12, 1929. p. 5.
  7. ^ "'Greatest Ambition in Life Came True,' Says Harry Kipke". The News-Palladium. June 13, 1929. p. 12.
  8. ^ George S. Alderton (October 8, 1928). "Michigan State Chastened By Surprising Albion Win". Lansing State Journal. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Spartans Beat Chicago Team". Detroit Free Press. October 14, 1928. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Colgate Beats State Eleven". Detroit Free Press. October 21, 1928. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Dixie Eleven Ties Spartans: Mississippi Saved from Defeat by Pass Over Goal in Fourth Quarter". Detroit Free Press. November 4, 1928. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ W. W. Edgar (November 11, 1928). "Three Long Runs Help University of Detroit To Vanquish Michigan State, 39-0: Spartans Helpless Before Dorais Men". Detroit Free Press. p. 19.
  13. ^ "Spartans Beat Southern Foe By Touchdown". Detroit Free Press. November 25, 1928. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.


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