Spartan Stadium, where the Spartans have played since 1923.

This is a list of seasons completed by the Michigan State Spartans football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1885, the Spartans have participated in more than 1,200 officially sanctioned games, including 30 bowl games.

Michigan State originally competed as a football independent. In 1896, MSU joined the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The Spartans then competed independently again from 1907 through 1952. In 1953, MSU joined the Big Ten conference, where it has been a member ever since.[1][2]

Seasons

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
No coach (MIAA) (1896)
1896 No coach 1–2–1 0–1
Henry Keep (MIAA) (1897–1898)
1897 Henry Keep 4–2–1 1–1–1
1898 Henry Keep 4–3 4–1
Charles O. Bemies (MIAA) (1899–1900)
1899 Charles O. Bemies 2–4–1 1–2
1900 Charles O. Bemies 1–3 0–1
George Denman (MIAA) (1901–1902)
1901 George Denman 3–4–1 3–2–1
1902 George Denman 4–5 2–2
Chester Brewer (MIAA) (1903–1906)
1903 Chester Brewer 6–1–1 4–0–1 T–1st
1904 Chester Brewer 8–1 4–1
1905 Chester Brewer 9–2 5–0 1st
1906 Chester Brewer 7–2–2 6–1–1
Chester Brewer (Independent) (1907–1910)
1907 Chester Brewer 4–2–1
1908 Chester Brewer 6–0–2
1909 Chester Brewer 8–1
1910 Chester Brewer 6–1
John Macklin (Independent) (1911–1915)
1911 John Macklin 5–1
1912 John Macklin 7–1
1913 John Macklin 7–0
1914 John Macklin 5–2
1915 John Macklin 5–1
Frank Sommers (Independent) (1916)
1916 Frank Sommers 4–2–1
Chester Brewer (Independent) (1917)
1917 Chester Brewer 0–9
George Gauthier (Independent) (1918)
1918 George Gauthier 4–3
Chester Brewer (Independent) (1919)
1919 Chester Brewer 4–4–1
George Clark (Independent) (1920)
1920 George Clark 4–6
Albert Barron (Independent) (1921–1922)
1921 Albert Barron 3–5
1922 Albert Barron 3–5–2
Ralph H. Young (Independent) (1923–1927)
1923 Ralph H. Young 3–5
1924 Ralph H. Young 5–3
1925 Ralph H. Young 3–5
1926 Ralph H. Young 3–4–1
1927 Ralph H. Young 4–5
Harry Kipke (Independent) (1928)
1928 Harry Kipke 3–4–1
Jim Crowley (Independent) (1929–1932)
1929 Jim Crowley 5–3
1930 Jim Crowley 5–1–2
1931 Jim Crowley 5–3–1
1932 Jim Crowley 7–1
Charlie Bachman (Independent) (1933–1946)
1933 Charlie Bachman 4–2–2
1934 Charlie Bachman 8–1
1935 Charlie Bachman 6–2
1936 Charlie Bachman 6–1–2
1937 Charlie Bachman 8–2 L Orange
1938 Charlie Bachman 6–3
1939 Charlie Bachman 4–4–1
1940 Charlie Bachman 3–4–1
1941 Charlie Bachman 5–3–1
1942 Charlie Bachman 4–3–2
1943 No team
1944 Charlie Bachman 6–1
1945 Charlie Bachman 5–3–1
1946 Charlie Bachman 5–5
Clarence Munn (Independent) (1947–1952)
1947 Clarence Munn 7–2
1948 Clarence Munn 6–2–2 14
1949 Clarence Munn 6–3 19
1950 Clarence Munn 8–1 8 8
1951 Clarence Munn 9–0 2 2
1952 Clarence Munn 9–0 1 1
Clarence Munn (Big Ten) (1953)
1953 Clarence Munn 9–1 5–1 T–1st W Rose 3 3
Duffy Daugherty (Big Ten) (1954–1972)
1954 Duffy Daugherty 3–6 1–5 T–8th
1955 Duffy Daugherty 9–1 5–1 2nd W Rose 2 2
1956 Duffy Daugherty 7–2 4–2 T–4th 10 9
1957 Duffy Daugherty 8–1 5–1 2nd 3 3
1958 Duffy Daugherty 3–5–1 0–5–1 10th
1959 Duffy Daugherty 5–4 4–2 2nd 16
1960 Duffy Daugherty 6–2–1 4–2 4th 13 15
1961 Duffy Daugherty 7–2 5–2 3rd 9 8
1962 Duffy Daugherty 5–4 3–3 T–5th
1963 Duffy Daugherty 6–2–1 4–1–1 T–2nd 10 9
1964 Duffy Daugherty 4–5 3–3 6th
1965 Duffy Daugherty 10–1 7–0 1st L Rose 1 2
1966 Duffy Daugherty 9–0–1 7–0 1st 2 2
1967 Duffy Daugherty 3–7 3–4 T–5th
1968 Duffy Daugherty 5–5 2–5 7th
1969 Duffy Daugherty 4–6 2–5 9th
1970 Duffy Daugherty 4–6 3–4 T–5th
1971 Duffy Daugherty 6–5 5–3 T–3rd
1972 Duffy Daugherty 5–5–1 5–2–1 4th
Denny Stolz (Big Ten) (1973–1975)
1973 Denny Stolz 5–6 4–4 T–4th
1974 Denny Stolz 7–3–1 6–1–1 3rd 18 12
1975 Denny Stolz 7–4 4–4 T–3rd
Darryl Rogers (Big Ten) (1976–1979)
1976 Darryl Rogers 4–6–1 3–5 T–7th
1977 Darryl Rogers 7–3–1 6–1–1 3rd
1978 Darryl Rogers 8–3 7–1 T–1st 12
1979 Darryl Rogers 5–6 3–5 T–7th
Muddy Waters (Big Ten) (1980–1982)
1980 Muddy Waters 3–8 2–6 9th
1981 Muddy Waters 5–6 4–5 T–6th
1982 Muddy Waters 2–9 2–7 T–8th
George Perles (Big Ten) (1983–1994)
1983 George Perles 4–6–1 2–6–1 7th
1984 George Perles 6–6 5–4 T–6th L Cherry
1985 George Perles 7–5 5–3 T–4th L Hall of Fame Classic
1986 George Perles 6–5 4–4 T–5th
1987 George Perles 9–2–1 7–0–1 1st W Rose 8 8
1988 George Perles 6–5–1 6–1–1 2nd L Gator
1989 George Perles 8–4 6–2 T–3rd W Aloha 16 16
1990 George Perles 8–3–1 6–2 T–1st W John Hancock 14 16
1991 George Perles 3–8 3–5 T–6th
1992 George Perles 5–6 5–3 3rd
1993 George Perles 6–6 4–4 7th L Liberty
1994 George Perles 5–6[n 1] 4–4[n 1] T–4th[n 1]
Nick Saban (Big Ten) (1995–1999)
1995 Nick Saban 6–5–1 4–3–1 5th L Independence
1996 Nick Saban 6–6 5–3 T–5th L Sun
1997 Nick Saban 7–5 4–4 T–6th L Aloha
1998 Nick Saban 6–6 4–4 6th
1999 Nick Saban[n 2] 10–2[n 2] 6–2 T–2nd W Citrus 7 7
Bobby Williams (Big Ten) (2000–2002)
2000 Bobby Williams 5–6 2–6 T–9th
2001 Bobby Williams 7–5 3–5 T–8th W Silicon Valley Classic
2002 Bobby Williams[n 3] 4–8[n 3] 2–6[n 3] T–8th
John L. Smith (Big Ten) (2003–2006)
2003 John L. Smith 8–5 5–3 T–4th L Alamo
2004 John L. Smith 5–7 4–4 T–5th
2005 John L. Smith 5–6 2–6 9th
2006 John L. Smith 4–8 1–7 T–10th
Mark Dantonio (Big Ten) (2007–2019)
2007 Mark Dantonio 7–6 3–5 T–7th L Champs Sports
2008 Mark Dantonio 9–4 6–2 3rd L Capital One 24 24
2009 Mark Dantonio 6–7 4–4 T–6th L Alamo
2010 Mark Dantonio[n 4] 11–2[n 4] 7–1[n 4] T–1st L Capital One 14 14
2011 Mark Dantonio 11–3 7–1 1st (Legends) W Outback 10 11
2012 Mark Dantonio 7–6 3–5 4th (Legends) W Buffalo Wild Wings
2013 Mark Dantonio 13–1 8–0 1st (Legends) W Rose† 3 3
2014 Mark Dantonio 11–2 7–1 2nd (East) W Cotton† 5 5
2015 Mark Dantonio 12–2 7–1 T–1st (East) L CFP Semifinal at Cotton† 6 6
2016 Mark Dantonio 3–9 1–8 6th (East)
2017 Mark Dantonio 10–3 7–2 T–2nd (East) W Holiday 16 15
2018 Mark Dantonio 7–6 5–4 4th (East) L Redbox
2019 Mark Dantonio 7–6 4–5 5th (East) W Pinstripe
Mel Tucker (Big Ten) (2020–2023)
2020 Mel Tucker 2–5 2–5 7th (East)
2021 Mel Tucker 11–2 7–2 3rd (East) W Peach† 8 9
2022 Mel Tucker 5–7 3–6 5th (East)
2023 Mel Tucker 4–8 2–7 6th (East)
Total: 730–487–44
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Michigan State later forfeited all wins due to academic scandal.[3]
  2. ^ a b During the bowl game, the Spartans were coached by interim head coach Bobby Williams.
  3. ^ a b c This was the third and final season for head coach Bobby Williams, who was replaced after the Michigan game by interim head coach Morris Watts.
  4. ^ a b c Dantonio suffered a heart attack for which he was hospitalized, and received a coronary stent. While he recovered, offensive coordinator Don Treadwell stepped in as acting head coach, leading the Spartans against Northern Colorado and Wisconsin.

References

  1. ^ Michigan State Spartans Archived 2011-10-13 at the Wayback Machine. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  2. ^ CFRC College Football Database - Michigan State. Retrieved 2013-Dec-09.
  3. ^ Spartans Spared Major Penalties. Associated Press. 17 September 1996. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
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