1940 Michigan State Spartans football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1940

| team = Michigan State Spartans

| sport = football

| image = 1940 Michigan State Spartans football team.png

| image_size = 285

| conference = Independent

| record = 3–4–1

| head_coach = Charlie Bachman

| hc_year = 8th

| off_scheme = Notre Dame Box

| def_scheme =

| mvp = Jack Amon

| captain = Jack Amon

| captain2 = Paul L. Griffeth

| stadium = Macklin Field

}}

The 1940 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1940 college football season. In their eighth season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 3–4–1 record and lost their annual rivalry game with Michigan by a 21 to 14 score. In inter-sectional play, the team lost to Temple (21–19) and Kansas State (32–0), played Santa Clara to a scoreless tie, and defeated West Virginia (17–0).{{cite news|title=2016 Football Media Guide|publisher=Michigan State University|pages=146, 153|access-date=June 16, 2017|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf|archive-date=January 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117203046/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=1940 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=June 16, 2017|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1940-schedule.html}}

Ole Miss was ranked at No. 22 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.{{cite news|title=Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings|newspaper=The Boston Globe|author=Dr. E. E. Litkenhous|date=December 19, 1940|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123126338/final-1940-litkenhous-ratings/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| attend = y

| source = y

|October 5|at|Michigan|Michigan Stadium|Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)|L 14-21|69,951|

|October 12||Purdue|Macklin Field|East Lansing, MI|W 20-7|16,500|

|October 18|at|Temple|Temple Stadium|Philadelphia, PA|L 19-21|15,000|{{cite news|title=Temple Tops Michigan State, 21-19|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=October 19, 1940|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120370851/temple-tops-michigan-state-21-19/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 25||Santa Clara|Macklin Field|East Lansing, MI|T 0-0|18,500|{{cite news|title=Spartans, Santa Clara In Scoreless Tie|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=October 27, 1940|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17698566/spartans_santa_clara_in_scoreless_tie/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 2||Kansas State|Macklin Field|East Lansing, MI|W 32-0||

|November 9|at|Indiana|Memorial Stadium|Bloomington, IN (rivalry)|L 0-20||

|November 16|at|Marquette|Marquette Stadium|Milwaukee, WI|L 6-7|10,000|{{cite news|title=Apolskis Runs 70 Yards and Hilltops Win|newspaper=The Capital Times|date=November 17, 1940|page=24|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120344107/apolskis-runs-70-yards-and-hilltops-win/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 23||West Virginia|Macklin Field|East Lansing, MI|W 17-0|9,500|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-spartans-beat-wv/151635933/|newspaper=The State Journal|title=Spartans beat W.V.U. in season's finale|date=November 24, 1940|accessdate=July 19, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

Game summaries

=Michigan=

{{AFB game box start

| Title = Week 2: Michigan State at Michigan

| Visitor = Michigan State

| Host = Michigan

| V1 =0| V2 =7| V3 =0| V4 =7

| H1 =7 | H2 =7| H3 =7| H4 =0

| Date = October 5, 1940

| Location = Michigan Stadium
Ann Arbor, MI

| StartTime =

| ElapsedTime =

| Attendance = 69,951

| Weather =

| Referee = Lyle Clarno (Bradley)

}}

On October 5, 1940, Michigan State lost to Michigan by a 21 to 14 score. The game was the 35th played between the two programs.{{cite web|title=Michigan vs. Michigan St.|publisher=David DeLassus|work=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=May 16, 2015|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/michigan/opponents_records.php?teamid=1988|archive-date=May 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526234935/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/michigan/opponents_records.php?teamid=1988|url-status=dead}} Tom Harmon scored all 21 points for Michigan on three touchdowns and three kicks for extra point. Michigan gained 312 rushing yards compared to 49 rushing yards for Michigan State. Both Michigan State touchdowns were scored by right halfback Walt Pawlowski.{{cite news|title=Tom Harmon's Scores Whip State, 21-14|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=October 6, 1940|page=2-1|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1940/10/06/page/29/article/tom-harmons-scores-whip-state-21-14}}{{cite news|title=65,438 See Michigan Gain 21-14 Triumph; Harmon Scores All Points on Michigan State, Making His Two-Game Total 49; Spartans' Passes Click; Sophomore Pawlowski Grabs Tosses for Advances of 45 and 37 Yards to Tally|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 6, 1940|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/10/06/archives/65438-see-michigan-gain-2114-triumph-harmon-scores-all-points-on.html}}1941 Michiganensian, page 195.

References

Michigan State

Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons

Michigan State Spartans football