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The '''1978 Michigan State Spartans football team''' was an [[American football]] team that represented [[Michigan State University]] as a member of the [[Big Ten Conference]] during the [[1978 Big Ten Conference football season|1978 Big Ten football season]]. In their third season under head coach [[Darryl Rogers]], the Spartans compiled an 8–3 record (7–1 in conference games), tied with [[1978 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] for the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 411 to 170. After losing three of their first four games, they defeated No. 5 [[1978 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] and won their final seven games. They were ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll.[{{cite web|title=1978 Michigan State Spartans Roster|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=April 21, 2026|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1978-roster.html}}][{{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}} The Michigan State football program was placed on three years of probation in January 1976 and was therefore ineligible to be included in the 1978 UPI coaches poll or to play in a bowl game after the 1978 season.[{{cite news|title=MSU must wait for bowl, other items to be decided|author=Lynn Henning|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=January 18, 1978|page=C1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-msu/196049527/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}][{{cite news|title=Bowls forbidden, MSU eyes Big Ten title|author=Lynn Henning|newspaper=The Lansing State Journal|date=September 7, 1978|page=2 (sports)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-bowls-forbidden/196049234/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}] |
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The '''1978 Michigan State Spartans football team''' was an [[American football]] team that represented [[Michigan State University]] as a member of the [[Big Ten Conference]] during the [[1978 Big Ten Conference football season|1978 Big Ten football season]]. In their third season under head coach [[Darryl Rogers]], the Spartans compiled an 8–3 record (7–1 in conference games), tied with [[1978 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] for the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 411 to 170. After losing three of their first four games, they defeated No. 5 [[1978 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] and won their final seven games. They were ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll.[{{cite web|title=1978 Michigan State Spartans Roster|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=April 21, 2026|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1978-roster.html}}][{{cite web|title=2025 Michigan State Football Media Guide|publisher=Michigan State University|page=205|access-date=April 23, 2025|url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/msuspartans.com/documents/2025/8/29/2025_Michigan_State_Football_Media_Guide.pdf?timestamp=20250829045740}}] The Michigan State football program was placed on three years of probation in January 1976 and was therefore ineligible to be included in the 1978 UPI coaches poll or to play in a bowl game after the 1978 season.[{{cite news|title=MSU must wait for bowl, other items to be decided|author=Lynn Henning|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=January 18, 1978|page=C1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-msu/196049527/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}][{{cite news|title=Bowls forbidden, MSU eyes Big Ten title|author=Lynn Henning|newspaper=The Lansing State Journal|date=September 7, 1978|page=2 (sports)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-bowls-forbidden/196049234/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}] |
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On offense, the Spartans gained an average of 242.1 rushing yards and 239.2 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 165.8 rushing yards and 125.5 passing yards per game.[ The individual statistical leaders included quarterback [[Ed Smith (quarterback)|Ed Smith]] with 2,226 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns (both tops in the Big Ten), Steve Smith with 772 rushing yards, flanker [[Kirk Gibson]] with 802 receiving yards (tops in the Big Ten), and kicker [[Morten Andersen]] with 73 points scored (52 of 54 extra points, 7 of 16 field goals).][{{cite web|title=1978 Michigan State Spartans Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=April 21, 2026|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1978.html}}] Smith was selected as the team's most valuable player; he finished his collegiate career as the Big Ten's all-time leader with 5,706 passing yards.[{{cite news|title=Ticats sign highly-rated passer|newspaper=Ottawa Journal|date=February 13, 1979|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9363496/ticats_sign_highlyrated_passer/}}] |
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On offense, the Spartans gained an average of 242.1 rushing yards and 239.2 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 165.8 rushing yards and 125.5 passing yards per game.[ The individual statistical leaders included quarterback [[Ed Smith (quarterback)|Ed Smith]] with 2,226 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns (both tops in the Big Ten), Steve Smith with 772 rushing yards, flanker [[Kirk Gibson]] with 802 receiving yards (tops in the Big Ten), and kicker [[Morten Andersen]] with 73 points scored (52 of 54 extra points, 7 of 16 field goals).][{{cite web|title=1978 Michigan State Spartans Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=April 21, 2026|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1978.html}}] Smith was selected as the team's most valuable player; he finished his collegiate career as the Big Ten's all-time leader with 5,706 passing yards.[{{cite news|title=Ticats sign highly-rated passer|newspaper=Ottawa Journal|date=February 13, 1979|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9363496/ticats_sign_highlyrated_passer/}}] |
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