1971 Michigan State Spartans football team

1971 Michigan State Spartans football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
1971 record	6–5 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Duffy Daugherty (18th year)
Defensive coordinator	Denny Stolz (1st year)
Captain	Eric Allen, Ron Curl
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium

1971 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#6 Michigan $	8	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
Northwestern	6	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Ohio State	5	–	3	–	0			6	–	4	–	0
Michigan State	5	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Illinois	5	–	3	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	1
Minnesota	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Purdue	3	–	5	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
Indiana	2	–	6	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Iowa	1	–	8	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1971 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1971 college football season. In their 18th season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 6–5 overall record (5–3 against Big Ten opponents) and finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten Conference.^[1][2]

Four Spartans were selected by either the Associated Press (AP) or the United Press International (UPI) as first-team players on the 1971 All-Big Ten Conference football team: running back Eric Allen (AP-1, UPI-1); offensive guard Joe DeLamielleure (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive tackle Ron Curl (AP-1, UPI-1); and defensive back Brad Van Pelt (AP-1, UPI-1).^[3][4]

Game notes

Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • Michigan 7 3 0 14 24 Michigan State 0 7 0 6 13 Date: October 9 Location: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI Game attendance: 80,093

Scoring summary Q1 12:17 MICH Taylor 38 yard run (Coin kick) MICH 7–0 Q2 MICH Coin 27 yard field goal MICH 10–0 Q3 MSU Kolch 1 yard run (Shlapak kick) MICH 10–7 Q4 MICH Taylor 2 yard run (Coin kick) MICH 17–7 Q4 MICH Slade 7 yard run (Coin kick) MICH 24–7 Q4 MSU Allen 1 yard run (run failed) MICH 24–13

On October 9, 1971, Michigan State lost Michigan, 24–13, in front of 80,093 spectators, the largest crowd to that time in the history of Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. Billy Taylor rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Tom Slade started his first game at quarterback, completed three of nine passes for 45 yards, and rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown.^[5] With Michigan State athletic director Biggie Munn in critical condition following a stroke,^[6] the Spartans kept the came close. Michigan State trailed 10–7 late in the third quarter and had the ball at Michigan's 14-yard line. At that point, Michigan's Butch Carpenter forced a fumble that was recovered by Mike Keller. The Wolverines then sealed the game with a two-yard touchdown run by Taylor and a seven-yard touchdown run by Slade. Michigan kicker Dana Coin converted three point after touchdown attempts and kicked a 27-yard field goal.^[5]

References

1. "Michigan State Yearly Results (1970-1974)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
2. "2015 Michigan State Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. p. 146. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
3. "All Big Ten Selected". Daily Illini. November 24, 1971.
4. "Unbeaten Michigan Dominate UPI Team Picked by Coaches: Ohio State Places 7 On All-Big Ten Teams". The Times Recorder, Zanesville, OH. November 25, 1971. p. 9D.
5. Charlie Vincent (October 10, 1971). "It's U-M, 24–13". Detroit Free Press. p. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Munn Shows Improvement". Detroit Free Press. October 10, 1971. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.