1978 Michigan State Spartans football team

1978 Michigan State Spartans football
Big Ten Co-Champions
Conference	Big Ten
Ranking
AP	#12
1978 record	8–3 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Darryl Rogers (3rd year)
Home stadium	Spartan Stadium

1978 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#5 Michigan +	7	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
#12 Michigan State +	7	–	1	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
#13 Purdue	6	–	1	–	1			9	–	2	–	1
Ohio State	6	–	2	–	0			7	–	4	–	1
Minnesota	4	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	4	–	2			5	–	4	–	2
Indiana	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Iowa	2	–	6	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
Illinois	0	–	6	–	2			1	–	8	–	2
Northwestern	0	–	8	–	1			0	–	10	–	1
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1978 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University during the 1978 college football season. Finishing the season on a 7-game winning streak, the Spartans won their 4th Big Ten championship, which they shared with in state rival Michigan. The Spartans finished #12 in the final AP Poll.

Schedule

Date	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	Result	Attendance
September 16	at Purdue		Ross-Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN	L 14–21	60,365
September 23	Syracuse*		Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	W 49–21	74,511
September 29	at #3 USC*		Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, CA	L 9–30	65,319
October 7	Notre Dame*		Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI (Megaphone Trophy)	L 25–29	77,087
October 14	at #5 Michigan		Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)	W 24–15	105,132
October 21	Indiana		Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	W 49–14	76,013
October 28	Wisconsin		Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	W 55–2	70,114
November 4	at Illinois	#18	Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL	W 59–19	48,077
November 11	Minnesota	#17	Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	W 33–9	72,122
November 18	at Northwestern	#16	Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL	W 52–3	14,157
November 25	Iowa	#14	Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	W 42–7	57,007
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.