1996 Michigan State Spartans football team

Summary

The 1996 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of Michigan State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Nick Saban, the Spartans compiled an overall record of 6–6 with a mark of 5–3, tying for fifth place in the Big Ten. Michigan State was invited to the Sun Bowl, where they lost to Stanford, 38–0, on December 31. The team played home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.

1996 Michigan State Spartans football
Sun Bowl, L 0–38 vs. Stanford
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record6–6 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGary Tranquill (2nd season)
Offensive schemePro set
Defensive coordinatorDean Pees (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
MVPDuane Goulbourne
CaptainDuane Goulbourne, Ike Reese, Chris Smith
Home stadiumSpartan Stadium
Seasons
← 1995
1997 →
1996 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Ohio State +   7 1     11 1  
No. 15 Northwestern +   7 1     9 3  
No. 7 Penn State   6 2     11 2  
No. 18 Iowa   6 2     9 3  
No. 20 Michigan   5 3     8 4  
Michigan State   5 3     6 6  
Wisconsin   3 5     8 5  
Purdue   2 6     3 8  
Minnesota   1 7     4 7  
Indiana   1 7     3 8  
Illinois   1 7     2 9  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule edit

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 3112:30 p.m.PurdueESPNW 52–1472,511
September 712:00 p.m.at No. 1 Nebraska*ABCL 14–5575,590
September 211:00 p.m.Louisville*
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
L 20–3070,311
September 2812:30 p.m.Eastern Michigan*
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
SCDW 47–069,941
October 52:00 p.m.at IowaL 30–3770,397
October 1212:00 p.m.Illinois 
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
ESPN+W 42–1471,639
October 194:00 p.m.at MinnesotaW 27–945,434
October 2612:30 p.m.Wisconsin
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
ESPN2W 30–1369,217
November 212:00 p.m.at No. 9 MichiganABCL 29–45106,381
November 91:00 p.m.Indiana
  • Spartan Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 38–1564,719
November 233:30 p.m.at No. 7 Penn StateABCL 29–3296,263
December 312:30 p.m.vs. Stanford*CBSL 0–3842,271
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time
 
Halftime of the Michigan State vs. Illinois game on October 12

Roster edit

1996 Michigan State Spartans football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OT 76 Flozell Adams Jr
OL 75 Shane Adkins Fr
OT 60 Mike Brzezinski Fr
QB 16 Bill Burke Fr
TE 83 Josh Keur Jr
WR 80 Derrick Mason Sr
WR 7 LaVaile Richardson Fr
QB 9 Todd Schultz Jr
G 73 Scott Shaw Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 25 Mike Austin Fr
LB 38 Sean Banks Fr
CB 3 Amp Campbell So
DT 96 Chris Smith Sr
S 43 Scott Ernsberger So
LB 22 Reggie Garnett Sr
LB 54 T.J. Henning So
CB 36 Aldi Henry Sr
CB 10 Ray Hill Jr
DT 62 Robert Newkirk Fr
LB 44 Ike Reese Jr
DT 99 Dimitrius Underwood So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 1 Paul Edinger Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Roster

1997 NFL Draft edit

The following players were selected in the 1997 NFL Draft.

Player Round Pick Position NFL team
Derrick Mason 4 98 Wide receiver Tennessee Oilers
Nigea Carter 6 197 Wide receiver Tampa Bay Buccaneers

References edit