1973 Michigan State Spartans football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1973

| team = Michigan State Spartans

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Big Ten Conference

| short_conf = Big Ten

| record = 5–6

| conf_record = 4–4

| head_coach = Denny Stolz

| hc_year = 1st

| off_coach = Andy MacDonald

| oc_year = 1st

| off_scheme =

| def_coach =

| dc_year =

| def_scheme =

| mvp = Ray Nester

| captain = Michael Holt

| captain2 = John Shinsky

| stadium = Spartan Stadium

}}

The 1973 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1973 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first season under head coach Denny Stolz, the Spartans compiled a 5–6 overall record (4–4 against Big Ten opponents) and finished in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten Conference.{{cite news|title=Michigan State Yearly Results (1970-1974)|publisher=David DeLassus|work=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=July 13, 2015|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/michigan_state/1970-1974_yearly_results.php|archive-date=July 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714071155/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/m/michigan_state/1970-1974_yearly_results.php|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=2015 Michigan State Football Media Guide|publisher=Michigan State University|page=146|access-date=July 4, 2016|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-135-186-histor.pdf|archive-date=March 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317023433/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2015-16/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-135-186-histor.pdf|url-status=dead}}

Defensive Bill Simpson was the only Spartan to be selected by either the Associated Press (AP) or the United Press International (UPI) as a first-team player on the 1973 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Simpson received first-team honors from the UPI and second-team honors from the AP. Other Spartans received second-team honors, including defensive tackle John Shinsky, linebackers Ray Nester and Terence McClowry, and defensive back Mark Niesen.{{cite news|title=1973 AP All Big Ten Football Team|newspaper=Piqua Daily Call|date=November 27, 1973|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/43056027/?terms=franklin%2Bgriffin%2Bhoban}}{{cite news|title=Bucks, Wolves Dominate: Buckeyes Place 10 On All-Big Ten Team|newspaper=The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio)|date=November 28, 1973|page=11B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/78749989/?terms=franklin%2Bgriffin%2Bhoban%2B%22united%2Bpress%22}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1973

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 15

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = Dyche Stadium

| site_cityst = Evanston, IL

| score = 10–14

| attend = 27,305

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 22

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Syracuse

| site_stadium = Archbold Stadium

| site_cityst = Syracuse, NY

| score = 14–8

| attend = 21,821

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 29

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = UCLA

| opprank = 17

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| score = 21–34

| attend = 60,850

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 6

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Notre Dame

| opprank = 8

| site_stadium = Notre Dame Stadium

| site_cityst = Notre Dame, IN

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 10–14

| attend = 59,075

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 13

| w/l = l

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank = 5

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 0–31

| attend = 78,263

| source = {{cite news|title=No Contest! M 31, MSU 0: No. 4 Wolverines Frolic in the Rain|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Charlie Vincent|date=October 14, 1973|page=1E, 4E|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5645391/no_contest_m_31_msu_0_no_4/|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=June 27, 2016}} {{Open access}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 20

| w/l = l

| opponent = Illinois

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| score = 3–6

| attend = 63,303

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 27

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Purdue

| site_stadium = Ross–Ade Stadium

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN

| score = 10–7

| attend = 55,291

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 3

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| score = 21–0

| attend = 54,010

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 10

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Ohio State

| opprank = 1

| site_stadium = Ohio Stadium

| site_cityst = Columbus, OH

| score = 0–35

| attend = 87,600

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 17

| w/l = w

| opponent = Indiana

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 10–9

| attend = 50,116

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 24

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Iowa

| site_stadium = Kinnick Stadium

| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA

| score = 15–6

| attend = 31,119

}}

Roster

{{American football roster/Header|year=1973|team=Michigan State Spartans|teamcolors=y

|offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=So|first=Charlie|last=Baggett|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=Fr|first=Mike|last=Cobb|pos=TE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=21|class=So|first=Dane|last=Fortney|pos=WR}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Mike|last=Holt|pos=RB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Tyrone|last=Willingham|pos=QB|link=y}}

|defensive_players=

|special_teams_players=

}}

{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=|accessdate=

|head_coach=

Denny Stolz

|asst_coach=

Mike Rasmussen
(Graduate assistant)

}}

Season summary

=At Ohio State=

{{Americanfootballbox

|bg=

|bg2=

|titlestyle={{CollegeSecondaryStyle|Michigan State Spartans|border=2}}; text-align:center

|state=collapsed

|title=Michigan State Spartans at Ohio State Buckeyes

|date=November 10

|time=1:30 p.m.

|road=Michigan St

|R1=0 |R2=0 |R3=0 |R4=0

|home=Ohio St

|H1=7 |H2=14 |H3=7 |H4=7

|stadium=Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

|attendance=87,600

|weather={{Convert|36|F|C}}

|referee=

|TV=

|TVAnnouncers=

|reference=[https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/73-8-MichiganState.pdf Box Score]

|scoring=

First quarter

OSU – Bruce Elia 1-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 3:24. Ohio St 7–0. Drive:

Second quarter

OSU – Bruce Elia 2-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 9:26. Ohio St 14–0. Drive:
OSU – Neal Colzie 43-yard punt return (Blair Conway kick), 2:08. Ohio St 21–0.

Third quarter

OSU – Bruce Elia 2-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 8:57. Ohio St 28–0. Drive:

Fourth quarter

OSU – Pete Johnson 2-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 13:53. Ohio St 35–0. Drive:

|stats=

;Top passers

MSU – Tyrone Willingham – 1/2, 6 yards
OSU – Cornelius Greene – 3/6, 31 yards, INT

;Top rushers

MSU – Mike Holt – 13 rushes, 52 yards
OSU – Archie Griffin – 21 rushes, 131 yards

;Top receivers

MSU – Mike Cobb – 1 reception, 6 yards
OSU – Elmer Lippert – 1 reception, 20 yards

}}

References

Michigan State

Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons

Michigan State Spartans football