1948 Midwestern college football independents records
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Michigan Tech   –   7 – 0 – 0
No. 2 Notre Dame   –   9 – 0 – 1
Bowling Green   –   8 – 0 – 1
Washington University   –   9 – 1 – 0
John Carroll   –   7 – 1 – 2
Ball State   –   6 – 2 – 0
Michigan State   –   6 – 2 – 2
Baldwin–Wallace   –   5 – 2 – 2
Detroit   –   6 – 3 – 0
Indiana State   –   4 – 4 – 0
Wabash   –   4 – 4 – 0
Wayne   –   4 – 4 – 0
Valparaiso   –   4 – 5 – 0
Toledo   –   5 – 6 – 0
Michigan State Normal   –   3 – 5 – 0
Xavier   –   4 – 6 – 0
Central Michigan   –   3 – 6 – 0
Marquette   –   2 – 8 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1948 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College (now known as Michigan State University) as an independent the 1948 college football season. In their second season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled a 6–2–2 record, outscored opponents by a total of 359 to 130, and were ranked No. 14 in the final AP poll.[1][2] The Spartans were also ranked at No. 3 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System ratings for 1948.[3]

The 1948 Spartans sustained their two losses in annual rivalry games against Notre Dame (26–7) and national champion Michigan (13–7). In intersectional play, the Spartans beat Hawaii (68–21), Arizona (61–7), Oregon State (46–21), and Washington State (40–0), and tied with Penn State (14–14) and Santa Clara (21–21).[2]

The Spartans' offense was led by left halfback George Guerre and right halfback Lynn Chandnois. Guerre tallied 734 rushing yards on 118 carries, and Chadnois gained 681 yards on 91 carries.[4] Two Spartans received All-America recognition: guard Don Mason (Associated Press, second team),[5] and end Warren Huey (Football Writers Association of America, second team).[6]

The team played its home games at the expanded Macklin Field Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. The stadium was enlarged to a seating capacity of 50,410 and increased from 46 to 66 rows along the sidelines and from 11 to 47 rows in the end zones.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 25Michigan
L 7–1351,511[7]
October 2Hawaii
  • Macklin Field Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 68–2130,281[8]
October 9at No. 1 Notre Dame
L 7–2658,126[9]
October 16Arizonadagger
  • Macklin Field Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 61–736,616[10]
October 23at No. 8 Penn StateNo. 19
T 14–1424,579[11]
October 30at Oregon StateNo. 17
W 46–2112,000[12]
November 6MarquetteNo. 17
  • Macklin Field Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 47–037,131[13]
November 13at Iowa StateNo. 12
W 48–77,847[14]
November 20Washington StateNo. 12
  • Macklin Field Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 40–036,313[15]
November 27at Santa ClaraNo. 11
T 21–2120,000[16]
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Rankings

See also: 1948 college football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked ( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll12345678Final
AP——19171712 (1)12 (2)11 (3)14 (2)

Game summaries

Michigan

Week 1: Michigan at Michigan State
1 234Total
• Michigan 7 006 13
Michigan St. 0 070 7

Michigan State opened it 1948 season with a 13–7 loss to Michigan in East Lansing. The game was also the first to be played at Michigan State's new Macklin Stadium. Early in the opening quarter, fullback Don Peterson threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Dick Rifenburg. Peterson kicked the extra point, and Michigan's 7–0 lead held through halftime. Michigan State tied the game in the third quarter on a disputed play in which a pass from Lynn Chandnois was caught by both Hank Minarik and Wally Teninga. The official ruled that possession went to the offensive player as a touchdown. Peterson scored the winning touchdown for Michigan on a five-yard run in the fourth quarter, but failed to convert the extra point attempt. Late in the fourth quarter, Michigan State drove the ball to Michigan's two-yard line. With time running out, Teninga intercepted a Michigan State pass. Michigan's offense was held to 106 rushing yards and 117 passing yards in the game.[17][18]

A sluggish offensive performance and a narrow margin of victory over a team the Wolverines had beaten 55–0 in 1947 led some in the media to question Oosterbaan's selection as Michigan's new coach. The New York Times opined that Michigan's performance "lacked most of the precision which it had last year under H. O. Crisler."[17] H. G. Salsinger of The Detroit News wrote:

"Michigan's first game under Oosterbaan . . . was not impressive. They lacked the spark that distinguished them through the 1947 season. The offense was dull and poorly directed . . . . The critics who had judged Oosterbaan's football coaching skills on his record as a basketball coach considered their appraisal justified. The future looked dark for Michigan and Oosterbaan."[19]

Opinions of Oosterbaan changed as Michigan shut out ranked opponents in each of the next three games.

References

  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 154. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "1948 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  3. ^ "Michigan, Irish Finish 1-2 in Litkenhous Ratings". Wilmington Morning News. December 15, 1948. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ 1949 Wolverine (MSC yearbook, p. 169.
  5. ^ Ted Smits (December 1, 1948). "Bear Guard on A.P.A.A. Eleven". Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  6. ^ "FWAA All-America Since 1944" (PDF). Football Writers Association of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  7. ^ George S. Alderton (September 26, 1948). "State Bows to U of M, 13-7; Crowd of 51,511 Sees Dedication Tilt". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1 (section 1), 1 (section 4) – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ George S. Alderton (October 3, 1948). "Spartan Power Beats Hawaiian Passes, 68-21; 30,281 See State Tune Up for N-D". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 2 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ George S. Alderton (October 10, 1948). "Irish Might, Manpower Subdues Fighting Spartans, 26-7: MSC Draws First Blood, But Irish Turn on the Heat". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 4 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ George S. Alderton (October 17, 1948). "Arizona Hit Between Eyes, 61-7, As Spartans Throw Book at Them: Varsity Piles Up 4 TD's, Then Retires". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 2 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Mich. State Ties Penn State, 14-14". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. October 24, 1948. p. 7 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "State cracks Oregon 46–21". The Times Herald. October 31, 1948. Retrieved October 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ George S. Alderton (November 7, 1948). "Spartans Break Tradition, Annihilate Marquette, 47-0: Gridiron Explosion Nets 'S' Fourth Win". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Maury White (November 14, 1948). "Spartans Maul Iowa State, 48-7". The Des Moines Register. p. 10S – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ George S. Alderton (November 21, 1948). "Washington State Takes Spartan Football Treatment, 40-0: 'S' Repels Lone Cougar Scoring Try". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 3 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ George S. Alderton (November 28, 1948). "Spartans Tie Santa Clara, 21-21, Abandon Bowl Hopes". Lansing State Journal. pp. Sports 1, 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b Walter W. Ruch (September 26, 1948). "Michigan Overcomes Michigan State on Touchdown in Fourth Period: Wolverines Take Hard Battle, 13-7; Peterson's Touchdown in Last Quarter Topples Michigan State at East Lansing". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2012.
  18. ^ 1949 Michiganensian, p. 104.
  19. ^ H. G. Salsinger (October 27, 1948). "'Best Offense Mind in Football,' Crisler Tribute to Oosterbaan: Wolves Continue to Roll in Bennie's Bow as Boss; Fritz' Successor Marking 24th Year at Michigan as Player, Coach". The Sporting News.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Michigan_State_Spartans_football_team
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