1974 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season

1974 Michigan State Spartans football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 18
AP	No. 12
Record	7–3–1 (6–1–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Denny Stolz (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Andy MacDonald (2nd season)
MVP	Charlie Baggett
Captain	Clarence Bullock, James Tauber
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium
Seasons ← 1973 1975 →

1974 Big Ten Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 4 Ohio State +	7	–	1	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
No. 3 Michigan +	7	–	1	–	0	10	–	1	–	0
No. 12 Michigan State	6	–	1	–	1	7	–	3	–	1
Wisconsin	5	–	3	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Illinois	4	–	3	–	1	6	–	4	–	1
Purdue	3	–	5	–	0	4	–	6	–	1
Minnesota	2	–	6	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Iowa	2	–	6	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Northwestern	2	–	6	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Indiana	1	–	7	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1974 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State University in the 1974 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second season under head coach Denny Stolz, the Spartans compiled a 7–3–1 record, finished in third place in the Big Ten, and were ranked No. 12 in the final AP Poll. Quarterback Charlie Baggett was selected as the team's most valuable player.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 14	Northwestern		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 41–7	49,103
September 21	Syracuse*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 19–0	66,847
September 28	at UCLA*		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA		L 14–56	44,026
October 5	No. 7 Notre Dame*		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)		L 14–19	77,431
October 12	at No. 4 Michigan		Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)		L 7–21	104,682
October 19	at Illinois		Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL		T 21–21	55,677
October 26	Purdue		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 31–7	63,321
November 2	at No. 20 Wisconsin		Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI		W 28–21	78,848
November 9	No. 1 Ohio State		Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	ABC	W 16–13	78,533
November 16	at Indiana	No. 15	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN (rivalry)		W 19–10	25,492
November 23	Iowa	No. 14	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI		W 60–21	51,002
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[1]

Roster

1974 Michigan State Spartans football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
QB		Charlie Baggett	So
TE		Mike Cobb	So
RB		Jim Earley	Fr
WR	`21`	Dane Fortney	Jr
FB		Levi Jackson

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class

Head coach

Denny Stolz

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Game summaries

Michigan

	1	2	3	4	Total
Michigan State	0	0	0	7	7
• Michigan	7	14	0	0	21

Date: October 12
Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Game attendance: 104,682

Scoring summary

1	MICH	Bell 13-yard run (Lantry kick)	Michigan 7–0

2	MICH	Jilek recovered MSU fumble in end zone (Lantry kick)	Michigan 14–0

2	MICH	Smith 45-yard pass from Franklin (Lantry kick)	Michigan 21–0

4	MSU	Cobb 15-yard pass from Baggett (Nielsen kick)	Michigan 21–7

On October 12, 1974, Michigan State lost to Michigan by a 21-7 score. The game, played at Michigan Stadium, attracted a crowd of 104,682, reported to be "the second largest crowd in modern N.C.A.A. history" behind the 1973 Michigan-Ohio State game.^[2] Gordon Bell led Michigan's rushing attack with 73 yards on 16 carries, including a 13-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Dennis Franklin completed five of nine passes for 84 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jim Smith in the second quarter, but left the game in the third quarter with bruised ribs. Linebacker Dan Jilek also scored in the second quarter when he forced a fumble on a punt attempt and then recovered it in the end zone.^[2]

Ohio State

Michigan State manages a considerable upset at home, topping then #1 Ohio State, 16-13. Fullback Levi Jackson scores the final points of the game on an 88-yard TD run, followed by a Hans Neilsen point after touchdown. In a tumultuous finish, Ohio State fails to convert at the Spartans' 1-yard line as time expires. Big Ten Commissioner Wayne Duke went to referee Gene Calhoun and the team of officials to confirm that the Buckeyes had not attempted their second-down play before the clock ran out.

	1	2	3	4	Total
Ohio State	3	0	3	7	13
• Michigan State	0	3	0	13	16

Date: November 9
Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
Game attendance: 78,533
TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Duffy Daugherty & Jim Lampley

Scoring summary

1		OSU	Tom Klaban field goal	OSU 3-0

2	0:03	MSU	Hans Nielsen 39 yard field goal	Tied 3-3

3		OSU	Tom Klaban field goal	OSU 6-3

4		OSU	Champ Henson 1 yard run (Klaban kick)	OSU 13-3

4		MSU	Mike Jones 44 yard pass from Charlie Baggett (pass failed)	OSU 13-9

4	3:17	MSU	Levi Jackson 88 yard run (Nielsen kick)	MSU 16-13

^[3]^[4]

References

^ 2011 Michigan State media guide.
^ ^a ^b Roy Damer (October 13, 1974). "Wolverines win 21-7". Chicago Tribune. p. 3-3 and 3-11.
^ "Ohio State Defeated By Spartans, Ruling." Ocala Star-Banner. 1974 Nov 10.
^ "Spartans Stop No.1 Team...Buckeyes Lose, 16-13." Gadsden Times. 1974 Nov 10.

v t e Michigan State Spartans football
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Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Indiana Michigan Notre Dame Penn State
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