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2012 Michigan State Spartans football team

2012 Michigan State Spartans football
Michigan-State-logo-block-s.svg
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl champion
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, W 17–16 vs. TCU
Conference Big Ten Conference
Division Legends Division
2012 record 7–6 (3–5 Big Ten)
Head coach Mark Dantonio (6th year)
Offensive coordinator Dan Roushar (2nd year)
Offensive scheme Pro-style
Defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi (6th year)
Base defense 4–3
Captain Max Bullough
Andrew Maxwell
Chris Norman
Home stadium Spartan Stadium (c. 75,002 natural grass)
Seasons
← 2011
2013 →
2012 Big Ten football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Legends Division
#25 Nebraska x   7 – 1         10 – 4  
#24 Michigan   6 – 2         8 – 5  
#17 Northwestern   5 – 3         10 – 3  
Michigan State   3 – 5         7 – 6  
Iowa   2 – 6         4 – 8  
Minnesota   2 – 6         6 – 7  
Leaders Division
#3 Ohio State* x   8 – 0         12 – 0  
Penn State*   6 – 2         8 – 4  
Wisconsin $   4 – 4         8 – 6  
Purdue   3 – 5         6 – 7  
Indiana   2 – 6         4 – 8  
Illinois   0 – 8         2 – 10  
Championship: Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 31
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • Ohio State and Penn State ineligible for conference championship game and post-season bowl games due to NCAA sanctions.
Rankings from AP Poll
Boise State at Michigan State
1 2 3 4 Total
#24 Boise State 3 10 0 0 13
• #13 Michigan State 10 0 0 7 17
Michigan State at Central Michigan
1 2 3 4 Total
• #11 Michigan State 7 17 10 7 41
Central Michigan 0 0 0 7 7
Notre Dame at Michigan State
(Megaphone Trophy)
1 2 3 4 Total
• #20 Notre Dame 7 7 0 6 20
#10 Michigan State 0 3 0 0 3
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State
1 2 3 4 Total
Eastern Michigan 0 7 0 0 7
• #21 Michigan State 0 3 6 14 23
Ohio State at Michigan State
1 2 3 4 Total
• #14 Ohio State 7 0 10 0 17
#20 Michigan State 3 0 10 3 16
  • Sources:
Michigan State at Indiana
(Old Brass Spittoon)
1 2 3 4 Total
• Michigan State 0 14 3 14 31
Indiana 17 10 0 0 27
Iowa at Michigan State
1 2 3 4 OT 2OT Total
• Iowa 0 3 0 10 3 3 19
Michigan State 7 3 0 3 3 0 16
  • Sources:

The 2012 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Michigan State played their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan and were led by sixth-year head coach Mark Dantonio. They finished the season 7–6, 3–5 in Big Ten play to finish in fourth place in the Legends Division. They were invited to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, where they defeated TCU, 17–16.

Michigan State returns 9 of 11 starters (losing defensive tackle Jerel Worthy and safety Trenton Robinson, in addition to DT Kevin Pickleman, a spot starter) from the nationally ranked 2011 defense, and returns 6 starters on offense, having to replace QB Kirk Cousins, WR B.J. Cunningham, RB Edwin Baker, WR Keith Nichol, OG Joel Foreman, and WR Keshawn Martin. Overall, MSU suffered very little roster attrition. The entire special teams unit remains intact, except for starting long snapper Matt Giampapa, who left the program during the summer for personal reasons. Redshirt freshman DT Matt Ramondo transferred to New Mexico State during the summer before the season.

Sources:

The Spartans overcame several large mistakes in the passing game with their top-flight defense and the efforts of Le'Veon Bell, who had 210 yards rushing on 44 carries and 56 receiving yards. MSU held Boise State to just 37 yards rushing, and scored the game winning touchdown with 8 minutes left. Michigan State retook possession with 6:32 remaining after a failed attempt to convert a 4th down by the Broncos. The Spartans successfully ran out the remainder of the time on their ensuing possession, eventually taking a knee at the goal line to ensure the victory.


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