American college football season
The 1955 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State University in the 1955 Big Ten Conference football season . In their third season playing in Big Ten Conference and their second season under head coach Duffy Daugherty , the Spartans compiled a 9–1 record (5–1 against Big Ten opponents),and outscored opponents by a total of 253 to 83.[ 1] [ 2] The team's sole loss was on the road and early in the season against rival Michigan by a 14–7 score.[ 3]
In the final AP and UPI coaches polls , both released on November 28, 1955, Michigan State was ranked No. 2 behind No. 1 Oklahoma . In the UPI poll, the Sooners edged the Spartans by a narrow margin of 325 points to 309 points with seven of the coaches ranking Michigan State as the No. 1 team. In the AP poll, the Sooners tallied 3,581 points to 3,204 points for Michigan State.[ 4] After the polls were finalized, the Spartans defeated No. 4 UCLA in the 1956 Rose Bowl . Neither the AP nor UPI conducted post-bowl polls in these years. Although most later rankings and analyses continued to recognize Oklahoma as the 1955 national champion , the Boand System recognized Michigan State as national champion.[ 5]
Two Michigan State players, quarterback Earl Morrall and tackle Norm Masters , were selected as consensus first-team players on the 1955 All-America college football team .[ 6] Fullback Jerry Planutis was also selected as a first-teaam All-American by Jet magazine.[ 7]
Eight Michigan State players were selected by the Associated Press (AP), United Press (UP), or International News Service (INS) on the 1955 All-Big Ten Conference football team : quarterback Morrall (AP-1, UP-1, INS-1); halfback Walt Kowalczyk (AP-2, UP-2); halfback Clarence Peaks (UP-3); fullback Planutis (AP-2, UP-1); end John Lewis (UP-3); tackle Masters (AP-1, UP-2, INS-1); guard Carl "Buck" Nystrom (AP-1, UP-2, INS-1); and center Joe Badaczewski (UP-3).[ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
Schedule
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 24 at Indiana W 20–1320,287 [ 11] [ 12]
October 1 at No. 2 Michigan L 7–1497,239 [ 3]
October 8 No. 20 Stanford * W 38–1447,586 [ 13]
October 15 No. 4 Notre Dame * No. 13 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry ) W 21–752,007 [ 14]
October 22 Illinois No. 6 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI W 21–751,851 [ 15]
October 29 at Wisconsin No. 5 W 27–053,529 [ 16]
November 5 at Purdue No. 4 W 27–041,000 [ 17]
November 12 Minnesota No. 3 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI W 42–1451,605 [ 18]
November 19 Marquette * No. 3 Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI W 33–041,814 [ 19]
January 2, 1956 vs. No. 4 UCLA * No. 2 W 17–14100,809 [ 20]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[ 21] [ 22]
References
^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF) . Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017 .
^ "1955 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017 .
^ a b George S. Alderton (October 2, 1955). "Wolverines Win, 14-7: Yost-Style Victory; Spartans Tops Only in Statistics" . Lansing State Journal . p. 57 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Pick Oklahoma Nation's Top College Team" . Daily News-Post . Monrovia, California. November 29, 1955. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com .
^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 113. Retrieved December 11, 2018 .
^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF) . National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 9. Retrieved October 21, 2017 .
^ "Jet's All-American College Grid Team" . Jet .
^ "Five Boilermaker Gridders Gain Recognition on AP's All-Big Ten" . Journal and Courier . November 22, 1955 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Krupa Named All-Big Ten: Dawson, Lundey, Murley, Murakowski Cited by UP" . Journal and Courier . November 23, 1955. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Two Hawks On All-Big 10" . The Des Moines Tribune . November 22, 1955. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com .
^ George S. Alderton (September 25, 1955). "Fast Start for Michigan State's Youngsters: Sophs Spark Spartans In 'Comeback' Victory Over Indiana, 20 to 13" . Lansing State Journal . pp. 67, 71 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Indiana Football 2023 Record Book" (PDF) . Indiana University . p. 14. Retrieved December 28, 2023 .
^ George S. Alderton (October 9, 1955). "Spartans Hit 'Old Form', Shatter Stanford, 38-14: Rattle Indians With Early Rash Of Touchdowns" . Lansing State Journal . p. 59 – via Newspapers.com .
^ George S. Alderton (October 16, 1955). "1955 State Team One of Spartans' Best: End Notre Dame's Winning Streak, 21-7" . Lansing State Journal . pp. 61, 64 – via Newspapers.com .
^ George S. Alderton (October 23, 1955). "Indian Totems Wave From Spartan Spears: Morrall Paces Michigan State To 21-7 Victory" . Lansing State Journal . pp. 67, 68 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Henry J. McCormick (October 30, 1955). "Spartans Bury Last Badger Title Hopes, 27-0: Blazing Speed, Standout Backs Engineer Rout" . Wisconsin State Journal . pp. Sports 1, 4 – via Newspapers.com .
^ Dale Burgess (November 6, 1955). "Purdue Falls Victim To Fumbles As Michigan State Wins; 27 To 0; Spartans Outgained From Scrimmage But Net 116 Yards On Interceptions" . The Palladium-Item and Sun-Telegram . p. 26 – via Newspapers.com .
^ George S. Alderton (November 13, 1955). "Victorious Spartans in Waiting Role: Michigan-Ohio State Game Key to State's Rose Bowl Hopes Now" . Lansing State Journal . pp. 63, 69 – via Newspapers.com .
^ George S. Alderton (November 20, 1955). "California, It's Those SPARTANS --- Again! Bowl-Bound Michigan State Takes Care of Marquette in Finale, 33 to 0" . Lansing State Journal . pp. 67, 68 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "MSU Edges UCLA, 17-14, Before 100,809: Kaiser's 41-Yard Kick in Final Seven Seconds Decides Rose Bowl" . Los Angeles Times . January 3, 1956. pp. IV-1, IV-3 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Michigan State Official Athletic Site" . www.msuspartans.com . Retrieved July 28, 2016 .
^ "1955 Michigan State Spartans" . College Football at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved July 28, 2016 .
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