1985 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record7–5 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorNick Saban (3rd season)
MVPLorenzo White
CaptainAnthony Bell, John Wojciechowski
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
Seasons
← 1984
1986 →
1985 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Iowa $ 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 2 Michigan 6 – 1 – 1 10 – 1 – 1
Illinois 5 – 2 – 1 6 – 5 – 1
No. 14 Ohio State 5 – 3 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Purdue 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 2 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Indiana 1 – 7 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 7 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1985 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third season under head coach George Perles, the Spartans compiled a 7–5 overall record (5–3 against Big Ten opponents), finished in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten Conference, and lost to Georgia Tech in the 1985 Hall of Fame Classic.[1][2]

Six Spartans were recognized by the Associated Press (AP) and/or the United Press International (UPI) on the 1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team: running back Lorenzo White (AP-1; UPI-1); offensive guard John Wojciechowski (AP-1); offensive tackle Steve Bogdalek (AP-2); linebacker Shane Bullough (AP-2); defensive back Phil Parker (UPI-1); and punter Greg Montgomery (AP-1).[3][4]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 1412:08 p.m.Arizona State*
W 12–362,797
September 217:46 p.m.at Notre Dame*
ESPNL 10–2759,075
September 281:00 p.m.Western Michigan*
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 7–363,829
October 52:42 p.m.at No. 1 Iowa
CBSL 31–3566,044
October 122:42 p.m.No. 3 Michigan
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
CBSL 0–3178,235
October 191:00 p.m.Illinoisdagger
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
L 17–3076,438
October 2612:38 p.m.at Purdue
TBSW 28–2467,660
November 212:08 p.m.Minnesota
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
TBSW 31–2663,578
November 91:00 p.m.at Indiana
W 35–1624,764
November 161:00 p.m.Northwestern
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 32–055,439
November 232:05 p.m.at Wisconsin
W 41–756,854
December 318:00 p.m.vs. Georgia Tech*
TBSL 14–1745,000[5]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Arizona State

See also: 1985 Arizona State Sun Devils football team

At Notre Dame

See also: 1985 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and Michigan State–Notre Dame football rivalry

Western Michigan

See also: 1985 Western Michigan Broncos football team

At Iowa

Michigan State at #1 Iowa
1 234Total
Spartans 0 10147 31
• No. 1 Hawkeyes 7 6157 35
Scoring summary
110:23IOWARobert Smith 60-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 7-0
213:12IOWAMike Flagg 17-yard pass from Chuck Long (kick failed)IOWA 13-0
211:34MSUChris Caudell 32-yard field goalIOWA 13-3
29:15MSUAndre Rison 50-yard pass from Bobby McAllister (Caudell kick)IOWA 13-10
312:30MSULorenzo White 23-yard run (Caudell kick)MSU 17-13
37:01MSULorenzo White 1-yard run (Caudell kick)MSU 24-13
36:16IOWARobert Smith 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Flagg pass from Long for two-point conversion)MSU 24-21
33:21IOWAMike Flagg 12-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 28-24
44:06MSUCraig Johnson 25-yard run (Caudell kick)MSU 31-28
40:27IOWAChuck Long 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 35-31

See also: 1985 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

Michigan

1 234Total
• No. 3 Wolverines 14 3014 31
Spartans 0 000 0

See also: 1985 Michigan Wolverines football team

On October 12, 1985, Michigan State lost to Michigan, 31–0, in front of a crowd of 78,235 at Spartan Stadium. The victory was regarded at the time as revenge for the Spartans' 19–7 upset of the Wolverines in 1984. Michigan struck early after Michigan State quarterback Bobby McAllister fumbled the snap on the second play of the game, Andy Moeller recovered the ball on the Spartans' 16-yard line, and Jim Harbaugh threw a touchdown pass to tight end Eric Kattus. Less than two minutes after Michigan's first score, Dieter Heren blocked a Greg Montgomery punt, and Ed Hood recovered the ball in the end zone for Michigan's second touchdown. Harbaugh completed 13 of 23 passes, threw two touchdown passes to Kattus and gave up three interceptions. Jamie Morris rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries. Mike Gillette also kicked a field goal. On defense, Michigan held Lorenzo White (who set a Big Ten record with 2,066 yards in 1985) to a season-low 47 yards on 18 carries. The Wolverines' defense also sacked Bobby McAllister three times, intercepted him once, and held him to 83 passing yards.[7]

Illinois

See also: 1985 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

At Purdue

See also: 1985 Purdue Boilermakers football team

Minnesota

See also: 1985 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

At Indiana

Northwestern

See also: 1985 Northwestern Wildcats football team

At Wisconsin

[8]

Hall of Fame Classic

Michigan State vs. Georgia Tech
1 234Total
Spartans 0 770 14
• Yellow Jackets 0 0710 17

Main article: 1985 Hall of Fame Classic

See also: 1985 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

[9]

Personnel

1985 Michigan State Spartans football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 8 Bobby McAllister Fr
WR 11 Mark Ingram Jr
RB 21 Bobby Morse Jr
WR 1 Andre Rison Fr
C 60 Pat Shurmur So
RB 34 Lorenzo White So
QB 14 Dave Yarema
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 41 Shane Bullough Jr
S 32 Phil Parker Sr
DE 93 Kelly Quinn Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K Chris Caudell Jr
P 23 Greg Montgomery So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

  1. ^ "Michigan State Yearly Results (1985-1989)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "2015 Michigan State Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. p. 147. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 17, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  3. ^ "Soph White, Station, Unanimous Choices". Toledo Blade (AP story). December 3, 1985. p. 33.
  4. ^ "Long Nips Everett For Spot On All-Big Ten First Team". Logansport Pharos-Tribune. November 26, 1985. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Wreck outlasts Spartans". Birmingham Post-Herald. January 1, 1986. Retrieved January 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Last-Minute Score Gives Iowa Victory". The New York Times. October 5, 1985. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  7. ^ Jack Saylor (October 13, 1985). "Wolverines get revenge: U-M defense manhandles MSU, 31–0". Detroit Free Press. p. G1.
  8. ^ "Football's Best Won't Win Heisman". Chicago Tribune. December 6, 1985. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  9. ^ "All-American Bowl : Georgia Tech Beats Michigan State, 17-14". Los Angeles Times. January 2, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
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