Year: | 1978 |
Team: | Michigan State Spartans |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
Short Conf: | Big Ten |
Aprank: | 12 |
Record: | 8–3 |
Conf Record: | 7–1 |
Head Coach: | Darryl Rogers |
Hc Year: | 3rd |
Def Coach: | George Dyer |
Dc Year: | 1st |
Mvp: | Ed Smith |
Captain: | Mel Land, Ed Smith |
Stadium: | Spartan Stadium |
Champion: | Big Ten co-champion |
The 1978 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University during the 1978 Big Ten Conference football season. Finishing the season on a seven-game winning streak, the Spartans won their fourth Big Ten Conference championship, which they shared with in-state rival Michigan. The Spartans finished number 12 in the final AP Poll.
Wide receiver Kirk Gibson caught 42 passes for 806 yard during the 1978 season.[1] Gibson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.[2]
Quarterback Ed Smith led the Big Ten in 1978 with 2,226 passing yards, a 139.0 passing efficiency rating, and 2,247 yards of total offense.[3] He was also selected as the most valuable player on the 1978 Michigan State team.[4] He finished his career as Michigan State's and the Big Ten's all-time leader with 5,706 passing yards.[5]
The team was put on probation during the 1978 season and could not appear in any bowl games.