1939 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceIndependent
Record4–4–1
Head coach
Offensive schemeNotre Dame Box
MVPLyle Rockenbach
CaptainMichael Kinek, Lyle Rockenbach
Home stadiumMacklin Field
Seasons
← 1938
1940 →
1939 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Central Michigan   –   8 – 1 – 0
No. 13 Notre Dame   –   7 – 2 – 0
Ohio   –   6 – 3 – 0
Detroit   –   5 – 3 – 1
Akron   –   5 – 4 – 0
Cincinnati   –   4 – 3 – 2
Ohio Wesleyan   –   5 – 4 – 1
Marquette   –   4 – 4 – 0
Michigan State   –   4 – 4 – 1
Dayton   –   4 – 4 – 1
Michigan State Normal   –   3 – 3 – 1
Wayne   –   4 – 5 – 0
Xavier   –   3 – 5 – 1
Western State Teachers (MI)   –   2 – 6 – 1
Miami (OH)   –   1 – 7 – 1
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1939 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1939 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 4–4–1 record and lost their annual rivalry game with Michigan by a 26 to 13 score. In inter-sectional play, the team defeated Syracuse (14–2) and Temple (18–7) and lost to Santa Clara (6–0).[1][2]

Michigan State was ranked at No. 74 (out of 609 teams) in the final Litkenhous Ratings for 1939.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30Wayne
W 16–0
October 7at Michigan
L 13–2668,618
October 14Marquette
  • Macklin Field
  • East Lansing, MI
L 14–1712,000[4]
October 21at Purdue
L 7–2021,000[5]
October 28Illinois Wesleyan
  • Macklin Field
  • East Lansing, MI
W 13–6
November 4at Syracuse
W 14–316,000
November 11at Santa Clara
L 0–618,000[6]
November 18Indianadagger
  • Macklin Field
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
T 7–7[7]
November 25Temple
  • Macklin Field
  • East Lansing, MI
W 18–78,500[8]
  • daggerHomecoming

Game summaries

Michigan

Week 1: Michigan State at Michigan
1 234Total
Michigan State 0 076 13
• Michigan 7 1900 26

On October 7, 1939, the Aggies opened their season with a 26 to 13 victory over Michigan. The game, the 34th played between the two programs,[9] was played at Michigan Stadium before 68,618 spectators that The New York Times called "a howling throng."[10]

Michigan took a 26 to 0 lead at halftime. The Wolverines' first points came on three-yard run around the right end by Paul Kromer, with blocking by Tom Harmon and Forest Evashevski, capping a 65-yard touchdown drive. On the opening play of the second quarter, Harmon scored on a two-yard run, capping a drive that started at Michigan State's 33-yard line. On the ensuing Michigan State drive, Archie Kodros intercepted a pass at the Spartans' 20-yard line, and after a 15-yard penalty was assessed, Michigan took over on the five-yard line. From there, Harmon threw a touchdown pass to Evashevski. Michigan's final score followed a second interception by Kodros, with Kodros catching the ball at the 45-yard line and returning it 17 yards to the 28-yard line. On fourth down from the four-yard line, Harmon threw his second touchdown pass to Evashevski. In the third quarter, Bill Batchelor of Michigan State intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, the Spartans scored again on a 71-yard pass play from Bill Kennedy to Wyman Davis. Harmon and William Melzow each kicked one point after touchdown (PAT) in the game.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 153. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. ^ "1939 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  3. ^ E. E. Litkenhous (December 31, 1939). "Vols Second In Final Litkenhous Grid Rankings; Southern California Tenth". Johnson City Sunday Press. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ George S. Alderton (October 15, 1939). "Marquette Field Goal Beats Spartans, 17-14: Heart-Breaking Penalty Sets Up Scoring Drive". Lansing State Journal. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ W. Blaine Patton (October 22, 1939). "Boilermakers Turn Back Spartans, 20-7". The Indianapolis Star. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Spartans Lose Pacific Coast Game, 6 to 0". The State Journal (Lansing, MI). November 12, 1939. pp. 1, 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ George S. Alderton (November 19, 1939). "Spartans and Indiana Battle To 7-7 Tie". Lansing State Journal. pp. 13, 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Spartan Attack Clicks, Thumps Temple, 18-7". Lansing State Journal. November 26, 1939. p. II-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Michigan vs. Michigan St". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  10. ^ a b "68,618 See Michigan Gain 26-13 Victory: Wolverines Score All Their Points in First Half to Beat Michigan State". The New York Times. October 8, 1939.
  11. ^ Arch Ward (October 8, 1939). "Michigan Rolls Over Michigan State, 26 to 13". Chicago Tribune. p. 2-1.


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