1956 Michigan State Spartans football team

1956 Michigan State Spartans football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 10
APNo. 9
Record7–2 (4–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPJames Hinsley
CaptainJohn Matsko
Home stadiumMacklin Stadium
Seasons
← 1955
1957 →
1956 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Iowa $ 5 1 0 9 1 0
No. 7 Michigan 5 2 0 7 2 0
No. 12 Minnesota 4 1 2 6 1 2
No. 9 Michigan State 4 2 0 7 2 0
No. 15 Ohio State 4 2 0 6 3 0
Northwestern 3 3 1 4 4 1
Purdue 1 4 2 3 4 2
Illinois 1 4 2 2 5 2
Wisconsin 0 4 3 1 5 3
Indiana 1 5 0 3 6 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1956 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State University in the 1956 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third season under head coach Duffy Daugherty, the Spartans compiled a 7–2 overall record (4–2 against Big Ten Conference opponents) and were ranked No. 9 in the final AP Poll and No. 10 in the final Coaches Poll.[1][2]

Center John Matsko was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1956 All-Big Ten Conference football team. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Pat Wilson with 414 passing yards, Dennis Mendyk with 495 rushing yards, and Tony Kolodziej with 221 receiving yards.[3]

  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. ^ "1956 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. ^ "1956 Michigan State Spartans Stats". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 13, 2017.