1961 Michigan State Spartans football team

The 1961 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season. In their eighth season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 7–2 overall record (5–2 against Big Ten opponents), finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked #8 in the final AP Poll.[1][2]

1961 Michigan State Spartans football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 9
AP	No. 8
1961 record	7–2 (5–2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Duffy Daugherty (8th season)
Captain	Ed Ryan
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium (Capacity: 76,000)

1961 Big Ten Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 2 Ohio State $	6	–	0	–	0			8	–	0	–	1
No. 6 Minnesota	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
No. 8 Michigan State	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
No. 12 Purdue	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Wisconsin	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Michigan	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Iowa	2	–	4	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Northwestern	2	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Indiana	0	–	6	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Illinois	0	–	7	–	0			0	–	9	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Two Spartans were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Halfback George Saimes received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI), and tackle Dave Behrman received first-team honors from the AP. Halfback Sherman Lewis received second-team all-conference honors from the AP.[3][4] Dave Behrman also received first-team recognition from the AP and Football Writers Association of America on the 1961 College Football All-America Team.[5][6][7]

The 1961 Spartans won all three of their annual rivalry games. In the annual Indiana–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Hoosiers by a 35 to 0 score. In the Notre Dame rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Fighting Irish by a 17 to 7 score. And, in the annual Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry game, the Spartans defeated the Wolverines by a 28 to 0 score.[8] In non-conference play, the Spartans also defeated Stanford, 31-3.[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result
September 30	at Wisconsin	No. 10	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	W 20–0
October 7	Stanford*	No. 6	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 31–3
October 14	at No. 6 Michigan	No. 5	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)	W 28–0
October 21	No. 6 Notre Dame*	No. 1	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (Megaphone Trophy)	W 17–7
October 28	Indiana	No. 1	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (Old Brass Spittoon)	W 35–0
November 4	at Minnesota	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN	L 0–13
November 11	at Purdue	No. 6	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	L 6–7
November 18	Northwestern	No. 9	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 21–13
November 25	Illinois	No. 8	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 34–7
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

• FB George Saimes, Jr.

References

1. "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
2. "1961 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
3. "Stephens Unanimous Choice on Big Ten". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 28, 1961.
4. "Saimes and MacRae Selected on All-Big Ten Football Team". The Holland, Michigan, Evening Sentinel. November 29, 1961. p. 16.
5. "Big Line Tops Classy AP All-America Team". AP.
6. "Miami's Bill Miller Chosen As All-American". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. December 8, 1961. p. 36.
7. Ted Gangi (ed.). "FWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team" (PDF). Retrieved February 8, 2015.
8. "Michigan State Yearly Results (1960-1964)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Retrieved July 12, 2015.