The 1954 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College in the 1954 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season in the Big Ten Conference and their first season under head coach Duffy Daugherty,[1] the Spartans compiled a 3–6 overall record and 1–5 against Big Ten opponents.[2][3]
| 1954 Michigan State Spartans football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 3–6 (1–5 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | John Matsock |
| Captain | LeRoy Bolden, Don Kauth |
| Home stadium | Macklin Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Ohio State $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Wisconsin | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Michigan | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Spartans' prospects were diminished when their best back, Leroy Bolden, was injured in the early in the 1954 season.[4] Michigan State tackle Randy Schrecengost was selected as a first-team player on the 1954 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[5]
The 1954 Spartans won one of their three annual rivalry games. In the annual Indiana–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers by a 21 to 14 score to give Daugherty his first victory as head coach. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans lost by only one point, 20-19, to a Fighting Irish team that finished the season ranked #4 in the final AP Poll.[6] And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans lost by a 33 to 7 score.[7]
In non-conference play, the Spartans routed Washington State by a 54 to 6 score,[8] and concluded their season with a 40-10 victory over Marquette.[9]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 25 | at No. 12 Iowa | No. 7 | L 10–14 | 50,000 | |
| October 2 | No. 5 Wisconsin | No. 13 | L 0–6 | 51,194 | |
| October 9 | at Indiana | W 21–14 | 27,411 | ||
| October 16 | at No. 8 Notre Dame* | L 19–20 | 67,238 | ||
| October 23 | No. 13 Purdue |
| L 13–27 | 52,619 | |
| October 30 | at Minnesota | L 13–19 | 63,575 | ||
| November 6 | Washington State* |
| W 54–6 | 45,849 | |
| November 13 | at Michigan | L 7–33 | 97,239 | ||
| November 20 | Marquette* |
| W 40–10 | 39,354 | |
| |||||
Roster
edit- G Hank Bullough, Sr.
References
edit- ^ "MSC Names New Coach". The Daily Sun, San Bernardino, Calif. January 16, 1954. p. 19.
- ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 154. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- ^ "1954 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- ^ "Daugherty To Speak at Elks' Grid Banquet". The News Palladium. November 17, 1954. p. 18.
- ^ "Editors Pick Big Ten Squad". Daily Illini. November 23, 1954. p. 9.
- ^ "Notre Dame noses Spartans, 20-19, in Rain". The Independent Record, Helena, Montana. October 17, 1954. p. 8.
- ^ "Michigan Thumps MSC". Independent Press-Telegram, Long Beach, Calif. November 14, 1954. p. E6.
- ^ "Michigan State Massacres Washington State, 54 to 6". San Bernardino Sun Telegram. November 7, 1954. p. 46.
- ^ "Michigan State Rocks Marquette By 40-10 Score". The Pantagraph. November 21, 1954. p. 14.
- ^ "1954 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results".
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