1955 Michigan State Spartans football team

The 1955 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1955 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third season in Big Ten play and their second season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 9–1 overall record (5–1 against Big Ten opponents) and were ranked No. 2 behind Oklahoma in the final AP Poll.[1][2] Michigan State was named national champion by Boand, an NCAA-designated major selector.[3]

1955 Michigan State Spartans football
National champion (Boand)
Rose Bowl, W 17–14 vs. UCLA
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 2
AP	No. 2
1955 record	9–1 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Duffy Daugherty (2nd season)
MVP	Carl Nystrom
Captain	Carl Nystrom
Home stadium	Macklin Stadium (Capacity: 51,000)

1955 Big Ten Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 5 Ohio State $	6	–	0	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
No. 2 Michigan State	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	1	–	0
No. 12 Michigan	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
Purdue	4	–	2	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Illinois	3	–	3	–	1			5	–	3	–	1
Wisconsin	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Iowa	2	–	3	–	1			3	–	5	–	1
Minnesota	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Indiana	1	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Northwestern	0	–	6	–	1			0	–	8	–	1
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Three Michigan State players were selected by the AP as first-team players on the 1955 All-Big Ten Conference football team: quarterback Earl Morrall, tackle Norm Masters, and guard Carl Nystrom. Halfback Jerry Planutis was selected for the second team.[4]

The 1955 Spartans won two of their three annual rivalry games. In the annual Indiana–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers by a 20–13 score. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish by a 21–14 score. And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans suffered their only loss, losing to the Wolverines by a 14–7 score.[2]

In non-conference play, the Spartans also defeated Stanford, 38–14, and defeated UCLA, 17–14, in the 1956 Rose Bowl.[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
September 24	at Indiana		Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN (rivalry)	W 20–13	23,000
October 1	at No. 2 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)	L 7–14	97,239
October 8	No. 20 Stanford*		Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 38–14	47,586
October 15	No. 4 Notre Dame*	No. 13	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)	W 21–7	52,007
October 22	Illinois	No. 6	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 21–7	51,851
October 29	at Wisconsin	No. 5	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 27–0	53,529
November 5	at Purdue	No. 4	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	W 27–0	41,000
November 12	Minnesota	No. 3	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 42–14	51,605
November 19	Marquette*	No. 3	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 33–0	41,814
January 2, 1956	vs. No. 4 UCLA*	No. 2	Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	W 17–14	100,809
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[5][6]

References

1. "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
2. "1955 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
3. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 113. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
4. "Cassady, Kramer, Jones Repeat on Big 10 Team". The Milwaukee Sentinel. November 22, 1955.
5. "Michigan State Official Athletic Site". www.msuspartans.com. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
6. "1955 Michigan State Spartans". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved July 28, 2016.