Teams / Big Ten / Michigan State
Index · this season
68
at its 5-year level
Career74since 1936
Peak961965
Last 566seasons
#55 nationally · 2-4 (0-3 conf)
Résumé #76 · better than its record
Schedule so far #6
Margin ±5 pts (tightens with games)
Michigan State Spartans
Big Ten · East Lansing, MI · Spartan Stadium · Head coach Pat Fitzgerald
Rival
Michigan · also Ohio State
Heated rivalry
38-75-5 all time (118 meetings since 1898)
Michigan leads
Last: lost 31-20 (2025) · Michigan has won 4 straight
Wants it back
program traits are earned from history
2national titles
0Heisman
17AP top-10
29All-Americans
154NFL picks
58.9%win pct
History since 1936 · football since 1908. Every season →
Chemistry
52
42Foundation
62Gel
gel counts 50% so far
▼ Below its norm -10
early · #95 of 138
HC year1
Ret. starters27%
QB yrs w/ OC1
| Season | Record | Conference | AP final | Season rank | Rating | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026in progress | 2-4 | Big Ten | — | #55 | 68 | Pat Fitzgerald |
| 2025 | 4-8 | Big Ten | — | #70 | 64 | Jonathan Smith |
| 2024 | 5-7 | Big Ten | — | #82 | 61 | Jonathan Smith |
| 2023 | 4-8 | Big Ten | — | #78 | 61 | Harlon Barnett; Mel Tucker |
| 2022 | 5-7 | Big Ten | — | #62 | 66 | Mel Tucker |
| 2021 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #9 | #17 | 78 | Mel Tucker |
| 2020 | 2-5 | Big Ten | — | #54 | 59 | Mel Tucker |
| 2019 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #43 | 70 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2018 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #44 | 71 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2017 | 10-3 | Big Ten | #15 | #24 | 77 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2016 | 3-9 | Big Ten | — | #64 | 66 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2015 | 12-2 | Big Ten | #6 | #18 | 78 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2014 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #5 | #10 | 86 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2013 | 13-1 | Big Ten | #3 | #18 | 79 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2012 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #43 | 71 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2011 | 11-3 | Big Ten | #11 | #16 | 78 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2010 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #14 | #39 | 72 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2009 | 6-7 | Big Ten | — | #55 | 67 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2008 | 9-4 | Big Ten | #24 | #35 | 71 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2007 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #38 | 73 | Mark Dantonio |
| 2006 | 4-8 | Big Ten | — | #68 | 62 | John Smith |
| 2005 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #26 | 76 | John Smith |
| 2004 | 5-7 | Big Ten | — | #48 | 68 | John Smith |
| 2003 | 8-5 | Big Ten | — | #32 | 74 | John Smith |
| 2002 | 4-8 | Big Ten | — | #73 | 60 | Bobby Williams; Morris Watts |
| 2001 | 7-5 | Big Ten | — | #34 | 73 | Bobby Williams |
| 2000 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #53 | 67 | Bobby Williams |
| 1999 | 10-2 | Big Ten | #7 | #9 | 84 | Nick Saban |
| 1998 | 6-6 | Big Ten | — | #28 | 74 | Nick Saban |
| 1997 | 7-5 | Big Ten | — | #18 | 77 | Nick Saban |
| 1996 | 6-6 | Big Ten | — | #25 | 75 | Nick Saban |
| 1995 | 6-5-1 | Big Ten | — | #35 | 71 | Nick Saban |
| 1994 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #25 | 75 | George Perles |
| 1993 | 6-6 | Big Ten | — | #34 | 71 | George Perles |
| 1992 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #44 | 67 | George Perles |
| 1991 | 3-8 | Big Ten | — | #76 | 57 | George Perles |
| 1990 | 8-3-1 | Big Ten | #16 | #23 | 76 | George Perles |
| 1989 | 8-4 | Big Ten | #16 | #16 | 79 | George Perles |
| 1988 | 6-5-1 | Big Ten | — | #20 | 76 | George Perles |
| 1987 | 9-2-1 | Big Ten | #8 | #12 | 80 | George Perles |
| 1986 | 6-5 | Big Ten | — | #22 | 75 | George Perles |
| 1985 | 7-5 | Big Ten | — | #28 | 73 | George Perles |
| 1984 | 6-6 | Big Ten | — | #55 | 65 | George Perles |
| 1983 | 4-6-1 | Big Ten | — | #66 | 59 | George Perles |
| 1982 | 2-9 | Big Ten | — | #47 | 66 | Frank Waters |
| 1981 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #59 | 65 | Frank Waters |
| 1980 | 3-8 | Big Ten | — | #62 | 64 | Frank Waters |
| 1979 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #49 | 68 | Darryl Rogers |
| 1978 | 8-3 | Big Ten | #12 | #10 | 87 | Darryl Rogers |
| 1977 | 7-3-1 | Big Ten | — | #23 | 76 | Darryl Rogers |
| 1976 | 4-6-1 | Big Ten | — | #58 | 66 | Darryl Rogers |
| 1975 | 7-4 | Big Ten | — | #29 | 74 | Dennis Stolz |
| 1974 | 7-3-1 | Big Ten | #12 | #19 | 77 | Dennis Stolz |
| 1973 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #35 | 70 | Dennis Stolz |
| 1972 | 5-5-1 | Big Ten | — | #30 | 72 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1971 | 6-5 | Big Ten | — | #24 | 75 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1970 | 4-6 | Big Ten | — | #37 | 71 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1969 | 4-6 | Big Ten | — | #35 | 70 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1968 | 5-5 | Big Ten | — | #24 | 74 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1967 | 3-7 | Big Ten | — | #39 | 69 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1966 ★ | 9-0-1 | Big Ten | #2 | #3 | 89 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1965 ★ | 10-1 | Big Ten | #2 | #1 | 96 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1964 | 4-5 | Big Ten | — | #18 | 77 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1963 | 6-2-1 | Big Ten | #9 | #3 | 86 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1962 | 5-4 | Big Ten | — | #11 | 81 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1961 | 7-2 | Big Ten | #8 | #5 | 88 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1960 | 6-2-1 | Big Ten | #15 | #8 | 81 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1959 | 5-4 | Big Ten | — | #17 | 76 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1958 | 3-5-1 | Big Ten | — | #31 | 70 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1957 ★ | 8-1 | Big Ten | #3 | #1 | 90 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1956 | 7-2 | Big Ten | #9 | #4 | 85 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1955 ★ | 9-1 | Big Ten | #2 | #2 | 90 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1954 | 3-6 | Big Ten | — | #20 | 76 | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1953 | 9-1 | Big Ten | #3 | #4 | 87 | Biggie Munn |
| 1952 ★ | 9-0 | FBS Independents | #1 | #1 | 89 | Biggie Munn |
| 1951 ★ | 9-0 | FBS Independents | #2 | #3 | 86 | Biggie Munn |
| 1950 | 8-1 | FBS Independents | #8 | #12 | 78 | Biggie Munn |
| 1949 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | #19 | #9 | 80 | Biggie Munn |
| 1948 | 6-2-2 | FBS Independents | #14 | #16 | 77 | Biggie Munn |
| 1947 | 7-2 | FBS Independents | — | #31 | 72 | Biggie Munn |
| 1946 | 5-5 | FBS Independents | — | #48 | 64 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1945 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #30 | 66 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1944 | 6-1 | FBS Independents | — | #22 | 68 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1942 | 4-3-2 | FBS Independents | — | #50 | 64 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1941 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #34 | 70 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1940 | 3-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #24 | 73 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1939 | 4-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #48 | 66 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1938 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | — | #34 | 70 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1937 | 8-2 | FBS Independents | — | #31 | 71 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1936 | 6-1-2 | FBS Independents | — | #19 | 75 | Charlie Bachman |
| 1935 | 6-2 | FBS Independents | — | #2 | 89 early | Charlie Bachman |
| 1934 | 8-1 | FBS Independents | — | #35 | 69 early | Charlie Bachman |
| 1933 | 4-2-2 | FBS Independents | — | #43 | 68 early | Charlie Bachman |
| 1932 | 7-1 | FBS Independents | — | #28 | 72 early | Jimmy Crowley |
| 1931 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #48 | 63 early | Jimmy Crowley |
| 1930 | 5-1-2 | FBS Independents | — | #21 | 74 early | Jimmy Crowley |
| 1929 | 5-3 | FBS Independents | — | #62 | 56 early | Jimmy Crowley |
| 1928 | 3-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #54 | 59 early | Harry Kipke |
| 1927 | 4-5 | FBS Independents | — | #72 | 50 early | Ralph Young |
| 1926 | 3-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #61 | 54 early | Ralph Young |
| 1925 | 3-5 | FBS Independents | — | #49 | 61 early | Ralph Young |
| 1924 | 0-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1923 | 0-3 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1922 | 0-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1921 | 0-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1920 | 0-4 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1919 | 0-3 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1918 | 4-3 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | George Gauthier |
| 1917 | 0-4 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1916 | 0-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1915 | 1-0 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1914 | 1-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1913 | 2-0 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1912 | 0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1911 | 0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1910 | 0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1908 | 0-0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — |
★ = a national title the school claims. Seasons before 1936 (the first AP poll) are the early era: shown in gray and rated on the same yardstick, but the all-time pool and program totals that matter most start in 1936.