2001 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2001 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2001 college football season.
The Spartans played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was the second year for head coach Bobby Williams, who led the Spartans to a 7–5 record and a 44–35 victory in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic over the Fresno State Bulldogs of the WAC.
The controversial final play of the home game against Michigan on November 3 led to a change in the official timekeeping policy of the Big Ten Conference. Beginning in 2002, a neutral official appointed by the Big Ten keeps track of the game time on the field.
Schedule
Date |
Time |
Opponent# |
Rank# |
Site |
TV |
Result |
Attendance |
September 8 |
1:00 PM |
Central Michigan* |
|
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI |
|
W 35–21 |
73,879 |
September 22 |
2:30 PM |
at #23 Notre Dame* |
|
Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN (Megaphone Trophy) |
NBC |
W 17–10 |
80,795 |
September 29 |
3:30 PM |
at #16 Northwestern |
#23 |
Ryan Field • Evanston, IL |
ABC |
L 26–27 |
40,103 |
October 13 |
12:00 PM |
Iowa |
|
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI |
ESPN2 |
W 31–28 |
73,680 |
October 20 |
12:00 PM |
at Minnesota |
|
H. H. Humphrey Metrodome • Minneapolis, MN |
|
L 19–28 |
47,385 |
October 27 |
12:00 PM |
at Wisconsin |
|
Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI |
ESPN+ |
W 42–28 |
79,108 |
November 3 |
3:30 PM |
#6 Michigan |
|
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy) |
ABC |
W 26–24 |
75,262 |
November 10 |
12:00 PM |
Indiana |
#22 |
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Old Brass Spittoon) |
|
L 28–37 |
73,990 |
November 17 |
12:00 PM |
at Purdue |
|
Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN |
ESPN2 |
L 14–24 |
55,660 |
November 24 |
3:30 PM |
Penn State |
|
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Land Grant Trophy) |
ESPN |
L 37–42 |
72,658 |
December 1 |
11:00 AM |
Missouri* |
|
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI |
ESPN2 |
W 55–7 |
72,823 |
December 31 |
3:00 PM |
vs. #20 Fresno State* |
|
Spartan Stadium • San Jose, CA (Silicon Valley Football Classic) |
FSN |
W 44–35 |
30,456[1] |
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Eastern Time. |
- NOTE: Missouri game originally scheduled for Sept 15 rescheduled to Dec 1 because of 9/11 attacks
Game summaries
Michigan
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|
Michigan |
3 |
14 | 0 | 7 |
24 |
• Michigan State |
7 |
7 | 3 | 9 |
26 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
---|
|
Q1 |
| MSU | Rogers 17 yard pass from Smoker (Rayner kick) | MSU 7–0 |
|
Q1 |
| MICH | Epstein 57 yard field goal | MSU 7–3 |
|
Q2 |
| MICH | Walker 14 yard pass from Navarre (Epstein kick) | MICH 10–7 |
|
Q2 |
| MSU | Duckett 2 yard run (Rayner kick) | MSU 14–10 |
|
Q2 |
| MICH | Walker 32 yard pass from Navarre (Epstein kick) | MICH 17–14 |
|
Q3 |
| MSU | Rayner 27 yard field goal | Tie 17–17 |
|
Q4 |
| MSU | Rayner 26 yard field goal | MSU 20–17 |
|
Q4 |
| MICH | Gonzales 20 yard pass from Navarre (Epstein kick) | MICH 24–20 |
|
Q4 |
:00 | MSU | Duckett 2 yard pass from Smoker | MSU 26–24 |
|
[2]
2002 NFL Draft
The following players were selected in the 2002 NFL Draft.
External links
References
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| National championship seasons in bold |
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