2006 Michigan State Spartans football team
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 2 Ohio State $ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 8 Michigan % | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Wisconsin | 7 | – | 1 | 12 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 24 Penn State | 5 | – | 3 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 3 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 2 | – | 6 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan State | 1 | – | 7 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2006 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan State competed as a member of the Big Ten Conference, and played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The Spartans were led by fourth-year head coach John L. Smith. Smith had compiled a combined 18–18 record in his previous seasons at Michigan State,[1] and he was fired after the 2006 season in which the team finished 4–8.[2] The Spartans did, however, set the record for the greatest comeback from a deficit in college football history.[3]
Season recap
Michigan State teams during Smith's tenure were "known for their late season collapses".[2] The Spartans started the 2006 season with a 3–0 record with victories over Idaho, Eastern Michigan, and Pittsburgh. The following week, Michigan State led Notre Dame, 37–21, in the third quarter, but surrendered 19 points to lose the game.[2] The Spartans then lost all but one game on the remainder of their schedule.[4]
On October 21, Michigan State traveled to Evanston, Illinois to face Northwestern. By the third quarter, Northwestern had extended its lead to a commanding 38–3.[3] Michigan State gained momentum in the fourth quarter when Devin Thomas blocked a Northwestern punt, which was then returned for a touchdown by Ashton Henderson. Northwestern was forced to punt twice more and Michigan State capitalized on each possession with a touchdown, which tied the game, 38–38.[3] Placekicker Brett Swenson made good the game-winning field goal with 0:13 remaining to play, and Michigan State won the greatest comeback in college football history.[3]
After the record-setting victory, it appeared that Smith's job was temporarily secured,[3] but the administration fired him shortly after a loss to Indiana the following week.[5] The Spartans ended the season with four consecutive losses to finish with a 4–8 overall record and 1–7 against Big Ten opponents.[4] In November, Mark Dantonio was hired as the replacement head coach.[6]
Schedule
September 212:00 PMIdaho*
ESPN+W 27–17 70,711 September 93:30 PMEastern Michigan*
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI
ESPN+W 52–20 69,856 September 1612:00 PMat Pittsburgh*
ABCW 38–23 47,956 September 238:00 PMNo. 12 Notre Dame*
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI (Megaphone Trophy)
ABCL 40–37 80,193
September 3012:00 PMIllinois
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI
ESPN+L 23–20 71,268 October 74:30 PMat No. 6 Michigan
ESPNL 31–13 111,349 October 143:30 PMNo. 1 Ohio State
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI
ABCL 38–7 73,498 October 2112:00 PMat Northwestern
ESPN+W 41–38 29,387 October 2812:00 PMat Indiana
ESPN+L 46–21 36,444 November 43:30 PMPurdue
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI
ESPNUL 17–15 65,398 November 1112:00 PMMinnesota
- Spartan Stadium
- East Lansing, MI
ESPNUL 31–18 64,807 November 1812:00 PMat Penn State
ESPN2L 17–13 108,607
Game summaries
Northwestern
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2007 NFL Draft
The following players were selected in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Player | Round | Pick | Position | NFL Team |
Drew Stanton | 2 | 43 | Quarterback | Detroit Lions |
Clifton Ryan | 5 | 154 | Defensive Tackle | St. Louis Rams |
Brandon Fields | 7 | 225 | Punter | Miami Dolphins |
References
- ^ John L. Smith Records by Year, College Football Data Warehouse, Retrieved July 24, 2009. Archived July 26, 2009.
- ^ a b c Phil Steele's 2009 College Football Preview, volume 15, p. 66, Summer 2009.
- ^ a b c d e Spartans stun Cats for biggest comeback in I-A history, ESPN, October 21, 2006.
- ^ a b "Michigan State 2006 Schedule/Results". ESPN. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ Michigan State coach John L. Smith out after season, ESPN, November 1, 2006.
- ^ Michigan State hires Dantonio to coach football team, USA Today, November 27, 2006.
- ^ "Spartans Stun Cats for Biggest Comeback in I-A History". ESPN. October 21, 2006. Retrieved September 29, 2014.