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2006 Michigan State Spartans football team

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{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]]
Head coach
  • (4th season)
2006 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
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  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
Rankings from AP Poll

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*

ABCL 40–37 80,193 September 3012:00 PMIllinoisdagger

  • 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

Template:CFB Schedule End

Game summaries

Northwestern

1 234Total
• Michigan State 3 01424 41
Northwestern 7 17140 38
Scoring summary
Q1MSUSwenson 32 yard field goalMSU 3–0
Q1NWLane 5 yard pass from Bacher (Howells kick)NW 7–3
Q2NWBacher 2 yard run (Howells kick)NW 14–3
Q2NWHowells 30 yard field goalNW 17–3
Q2NWHerbert 18 yard pass from Roberson (Howells kick)NW 24–3
Q3NWLane 22 yard pass from Bacher (Howells kick)NW 31–3
Q3NWHerbert 5 yard pass from Bacher (Howells kick)NW 38–3
Q3MSUCaulcrick 18 yard pass from Stanton (Swenson kick)NW 38–10
Q3MSUJimmerson 4 yard run (Swenson kick)NW 38–17
Q4MSUHenderson 31 yard blocked punt return (Swenson kick)NW 38–24
Q4MSUStanton 12 yard run (Swenson kick)NW 38–31
Q4MSUWilliams 9 yard pass from Stanton (Swenson kick)Tie 38–38
Q4:13MSUSwenson 28 yard field goalMSU 41–38

[7]

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

  1. ^ John L. Smith Records by Year, College Football Data Warehouse, Retrieved July 24, 2009. Archived July 26, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Phil Steele's 2009 College Football Preview, volume 15, p. 66, Summer 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e Spartans stun Cats for biggest comeback in I-A history, ESPN, October 21, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "Michigan State 2006 Schedule/Results". ESPN. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
  5. ^ Michigan State coach John L. Smith out after season, ESPN, November 1, 2006.
  6. ^ Michigan State hires Dantonio to coach football team, USA Today, November 27, 2006.
  7. ^ "Spartans Stun Cats for Biggest Comeback in I-A History". ESPN. October 21, 2006. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
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