The 1966 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1966 Big Ten Conference football season. Michigan State lodged a 9–0–1 record, with a season-concluding tie against Notre Dame in the “game of the century”, considered among the greatest games in college football history.
The College Football Researchers Association selected Michigan State as national champion, while the Helms Athletic Foundation, National Football Foundation (NFF), and Poling System selected them as co-national champion.[1]: 113 Notre Dame was selected as national champion by the AP and Coaches polls.[2]
Table of Contents
Schedule[edit]
Date
Opponent
Rank
Site
Result
Attendance
September 17
NC State*
No. 2
W 28–10
55,418
September 24
Penn State*
No. 1
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 42–8
65,763
October 1
at Illinois
No. 1
W 26–10
57,747
October 8
Michigan
No. 1
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 20–7
78,833
October 15
at Ohio State
No. 1
W 11–8
84,282
October 22
No. 9 Purdue
No. 2
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI
W 41–20
78,004
October 29
at Northwestern
No. 2
W 22–0
44,304
November 5
Iowa
No. 2
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI
W 56–7
68,711
November 12
at Indiana
No. 2
W 37–19
30,096
November 19
No. 1 Notre Dame*
No. 2
Spartan Stadium
East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
T 10–10
80,011
*Non-conference game
Homecoming
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[3]
after-content-x4
Personnel[edit]
1966 Michigan State Spartans football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
K
42
Dick Kenney
Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Rankings[edit]
Game summaries[edit]
NC State[edit]
Penn State[edit]
At Illinois[edit]
Michigan[edit]
Michigan at Michigan State
1
2
3
4
Total
Wolverines
0
0
0
7
7
• No. 1 Spartans
7
0
0
13
20
Scoring summary
Q1
MSU
Raye 5 yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 7–0
Q4
MSU
Apisa 7 yard run (kick failed)
MSU 13–0
Q4
MSU
Washington 25 yard pass from Raye (Kenney kick)
MSU 20–0
Q4
MICH
Detwiler 15 yard pass from Vidmer (Sygar kick)
MSU 20–7
[4]
At Ohio State[edit]
Michigan State at Ohio State
1
2
3
4
Total
• Spartans
0
0
3
8
11
Buckeyes
2
0
0
6
8
Date: October 15
Location: Ohio Stadium
Game attendance: 84,282
Game weather: Rain, wind SE 20-35, 69 °F (21 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1
8:09
OSU
Safety, center pass through end zone
OSU 2–0
Q3
6:02
MSU
Kenny 27-yard field goal
MSU 3–2
Q4
14:53
OSU
Long 47-yard pass to Anders (kick failed)
OSU 8–3
Q4
7:09
MSU
Apisa 1-yard run (Kenney pass to Wedemeyer)
MSU 11–8
Purdue[edit]
Purdue at Michigan State
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 9 Boilermakers
0
0
7
13
20
• No. 2 Spartans
7
14
14
6
41
Scoring summary
Q1
MSU
Lee 3 yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 7–0
Q2
MSU
Raye 16 yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 14–0
Q2
MSU
Apisa 6 yard pass from Raye (Kenney kick)
MSU 21–0
Q3
MSU
Apisa 2 yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 28–0
Q3
PUR
Griese 6 yard run (Griese kick)
MSU 28–7
Q3
MSU
Apisa 10 yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 35–7
Q4
PUR
Hurst 2 yard run (kick failed)
MSU 35–13
Q4
MSU
Cavender 2 yard run (pass failed)
MSU 41–13
Q4
PUR
Griese 2 yard run (Griese kick)
MSU 41–20
[5]
At Northwestern[edit]
Iowa[edit]
At Indiana[edit]
Notre Dame[edit]
Notre Dame at Michigan State
1
2
3
4
Total
No.1 Fighting Irish
0
7
0
3
10
No. 2 Spartans
0
10
0
0
10
Scoring summary
2
MSU
Cavender 4-yard run (Kenney kick)
MSU 7-0
2
MSU
Kenney 47-yard field goal
MSU 10-0
2
ND
Gladieux 34-yard pass from O’Brien (Azzaro kick)
MSU 10-7
4
ND
Azzaro 28-yard field goal
Tied 10-10
The 1966 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame football game (“The Game of the Century”) remains one of the greatest, and most controversial, games in college football history.[6] The game was played in Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium on November 19, 1966. Michigan State entered the contest 9–0 and ranked #2, while Notre Dame entered the contest 8–0 and ranked #1. Notre Dame elected not to try to score on its final series, thus the game ended in a 10–10 tie with both schools receiving national champion selections.[7]
Team members in the NFL[edit]
In the 1967 NFL Draft, four of the top eight picks in the draft were players from Michigan State.
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