1963 Michigan State Spartans football team

1963 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 10
APNo. 10
Record6–2–1 (4–1–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPSherman Lewis
Captains
  • Sherman Lewis
  • Dan Underwood
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
1963 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Illinois $ 5 1 1 8 1 1
No. 9 Michigan State 4 1 1 6 2 1
Ohio State 4 1 1 5 3 1
Purdue 4 3 0 5 4 0
Northwestern 3 4 0 5 4 0
Wisconsin 3 4 0 5 4 0
Michigan 2 3 2 3 4 2
Iowa 2 3 1 3 3 2
Minnesota 2 5 0 3 6 0
Indiana 1 5 0 3 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1963 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1963 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 10th season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 6–2–1 overall record 4–1–1 against Big Ten opponents), finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked #9 in the final AP Poll.[1][2]

Two Spartans were selected as first-team players on the 1963 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Halfback Sherman Lewis received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI), and end Dan Underwood received first-team honors from the AP.[3][4] Lewis was also a consensus first-team All-American.[5]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 28North Carolina*W 31–060,832[6]
October 4at No. 8 USC*L 10–1359,137[7]
October 12at MichiganT 7–7101,450[8][9][10]
October 19Indiana
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 20–352,297[11]
October 26at No. 9 NorthwesternW 15–751,013[12]
November 2No. 8 Wisconsin
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 30–1371,033[13]
November 9at PurdueNo. 9W 23–045,137[14]
November 16Notre Dame*No. 4
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 12–770,128[15]
November 28No. 8 IllinoisNo. 4
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
L 0–1374,342[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 155. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "1963 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. ^ "Reilly Selected for Big Ten First Team" (PDF). The Daily Iowan. November 30, 1983. p. 4.
  4. ^ Ed Sainsbury (November 29, 1963). "Butkus, Eller Near Unanimous Choices for Big Ten All Stars". The Daily Register (Harrisburg, Illinois). p. 9.
  5. ^ "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  6. ^ "Spartans overpower North Carolina". Lansing State Journal. September 29, 1963. Retrieved January 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Spartans blow 10–0 lead to lose, 13–10". The Bay City Times. October 5, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Wolverines, Spartans struggle to 7–7 tie". The Flint Journal. October 13, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Bob Pille (October 13, 1963). "Wolverines, MSU Tie One On, 7-7". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1D, 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Mike Block; Dave Good (October 13, 1964). "Wolverines, Spartans Fight to 7-7 Standoff". The Michigan Daily. pp. 1, 5 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  11. ^ "MSU drops Indiana, 20–3". The Muncie Star. October 20, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Mich. State wins by 15–7". The Baltimore Sun. October 27, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Michigan State upsets Badgers 30–13". The Racine Journal-Times Sunday Bulletin. November 3, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Spartans run over Purdue 23–0 in rush for Rose Bowl bid". The Minneapolis Morning Tribune. November 10, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Spartans nip Notre Dame, 12–7, on 85-yard scamper". Omaha World-Herald. November 17, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Illini muffle Spartans, 13–0, for Rose Bowl berths". The Evansville Courier. November 29, 1963. Retrieved March 18, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.