The 2017 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans played their home games at the Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, and competed in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by 11th-year head coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans finished the season 10–3, 7–2 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for second place in the East Division. The Spartans received an invitation to the Holiday Bowl where they defeated Washington State.
Offseason 2017 NFL draft 235Seattle SeahawksMalik McDowellDefensive Lineman4123Washington RedskinsMontae NicholsonSafety
Undrafted NFL free agents Tampa Bay BuccaneersRiley BulloughLinebackerMinnesota VikingsR.J. SheltonWide receiverMinnesota VikingsJosiah PriceTight EndCincinnati BengalsTyler O'ConnorQuarterbackCincinnati BengalsDemetrious CoxSafetyArizona CardinalsBrandon ClemonsOffensive/Defensive LinemanArizona CardinalsKodi KielerOffensive lineman
Dismissals due to sexual assault incidents The Spartans dismissed three players, Donnie Corley, Josh King, and Demetric Vance, after they were charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in relation to a sexual assault investigation. In a separate incident, Auston Robertson, was charged with third-degree sexual misconduct in April and dismissed from the team.
Recruiting The Spartans signed a total of 23 recruits.
Roster
Coaching staff Mark Dantonio Head coach 2007 Harlon Barnett Associate head coach/Co-Defensive coordinator/Defensive Backs 2007 Mark Staten Assistant head coach/offensive line 2007 Dave Warner Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs 2007 Jim Bollman Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends 2013 Mike Tressel Co-Defensive coordinator/linebackers 2007 Brad Salem Quarterbacks 2010 Terrence Samuel Wide receivers 2011 Ron Burton Defensive Tackles 2013 Mark Snyder Defensive Ends/Special Teams 2015
Schedule Michigan State announced its 2017 football schedule on December 8, 2016.
Source
Game summaries Bowling Green
MSU opened the season at Spartan Stadium against Mid-American Conference opponent, Bowling Green looking to improve upon their poor performance in 2016. The Spartans started well, driving to the Falcon goalline before L. J. Scott fumbled the ball and Bowling Green returned it to their 31-yard line. The Falcons moved the ball down the field and took the lead shortly thereafter on a Jake Suder 36-yard field goal. After this ominous beginning, neither team managed any further points in the first quarter, but the Spartans took the lead for good less than four minutes into the second quarter on a Madre London seven-yard touchdown run. As time ran out in the first half, Brian Lewerke hit Felton Davis for a four-yard touchdown pass to give the Spartans a 14–3 lead at halftime. MSU's offense took control in the third period, scoring touchdowns on back-to-back possessions, both touchdown passes from Brian Lewerke, to give the Spartans a commanding 28–3 lead. Tyson Smith, playing in his first game since suffering a stroke in November 2016, intercepted a Falcon pass and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown and a 35–3 lead. LJ Scott would lose another fumble early in the fourth quarter, this time the Falcons returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to reduce the Spartan lead to 35–10. Neither team scored again as the Spartans moved to 1–0 on the season with a convincing win.
Brian Lewerke played well, completing 22 of this 33 attempts and throwing three touchdowns. He also rushed for 70 yards on the day. L. J. Scott had a poor day, rushing 15 times and gaining only 39 yards and fumbling the ball twice with the Falcons recovering both. The Spartan defense limited the Falcons to three points and 212 total yards on the day.
Western Michigan
In the second week of the season, the Spartans hosted another MAC opponent, the previous year's MAC champion, Western Michigan. The Michigan State defense would hold steady on the opening drive by the Broncos, with Josiah Scott recording his first career interception. The Spartan offense was able to drive into WMU territory following the interception, but was unable to score. Several possessions later, Brian Lewerke finally opened the scoring in the first quarter on a read option play, scoring on a 61-yard run, giving Michigan State a 7–0 lead. Michigan State would add another score late in the second quarter on a 15-yard pass from Lewerke to L. J. Scott. As a result, MSU led 14–0 at halftime. For the second week in a row, an opponent scored on a fumble recovery when true-freshman receiver Hunter Rison had the ball stripped by WMU cornerback Darius Phillips and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown, to pull the Broncos within 14–7. The Spartan offense immediately answered the score, taking less than three minutes on their following drive to score, which included a Darrell Stewart Jr. run of 41 yards to the WMU one-yard line. Lewerke would punch it in from one-yard out, restoring MSU's two touchdown lead, 21–7. The Spartans increased the lead in the fourth quarter when L. J. Scott broke a 44-yard run on fourth and one from the Spartan 45-yard line. Scott would eventually score on a two-yard touchdown run, giving MSU a 28–7 lead. However, Darius Phillips answered the Spartan touchdown on the ensuing kickoff with a 100-yard return for touchdown, making it 28–14. The Bronco offense would finally put a drive together late in the fourth quarter, driving all the way to the MSU 15-yard line before failing to convert on fourth and one. The Spartan offense would then run out the clock to secure the 28–14 victory. The win moved the Spartans to 2–0 on the season with a bye week to follow.
The Michigan State defense played extremely well, tallying four sacks (they had 11 total sacks all of last year) and surrendering only 195 yards and, for the second week in a row, did not give up a touchdown. Brian Lewerke totaled 242 all purpose yards (161 yards passing, 81 yards rushing), with two rushing TDs and a passing TD. LJ Scott led all rushers with 86 yards rushing with a couple of TDs (one receiving and one rushing). Felton Davis led all receivers with four receptions and 69 yards. Michigan State rushed for 296 yards, the most yards rushing the Spartans have had in a game since rushing for 330 yards against Indiana in 2014.
Notre Dame
Following a bye week, the Spartans welcomed rival Notre Dame to Spartan Stadium for their third consecutive home game. Notre Dame jumped up early on the Spartans, taking the opening drive 78 yards on seven plays as Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush ran for 16 yards to put the Irish up 7–0. On the next possession, things got even worse for the Spartans as Brian Lewerke's pass was intercepted by Julian Love and returned 59 yards for a touchdown. Trailing 14–0, the Spartans would answer, going 75 yards and scoring on a Darrell Stewart Jr. four-yard touchdown catch to cut the lead to 14–7. Neither team managed any more points in the first quarter, but Lewerke again committed a mistake early in the second quarter as he fumbled the ball at the MSU 24-yard line. Six plays later Wimbush hit Dexter Williams for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Irish up 21–7. Looking to avoid the rout, the Spartans took their next drive deep into Notre Dame territory. L. J. Scott scored an apparent touchdown from 14 yards out, but he was stripped of the ball before he crossed the goalline and Notre Dame recovered the fumble. Instead of the lead being reduced to 21–14, Notre Dame moved down the field on five plays as Williams again scored for the Irish, putting the score at 28–7. MSU was unable to answer and trailed by 21 at the half.
In the second half, MSU attempted to prevent the blowout, but only managed a field goal on their opening possession. The Irish put the game out of reach on their next possession, going 62 yards on eight plays to balloon the lead to 35–10. Notre Dame added a field goal with five minutes remaining in the game as the MSU offense continued to struggle. The Spartans did get another touchdown as Gerald Holmes caught a 25-yard pass from Brian Lewerke to cut the lead to 38–18 with the two point conversion. However, with just 1:36 remaining the game, it was too little too late and the Spartans fell 38–18. As a result of the win, the Irish received the Megaphone Trophy. The Spartans fell to 2–1 on the season.
MSU outgained the Irish 496–355, but the three turnovers cost the Spartans. Lewerke completed 31 of 51 passes for 340 yards and the Spartans gained 151 yards on the ground. Despite the yardage discrepancy, it was a complete and utter blowout.
Iowa
In their fourth consecutive home game to begin the season, the Spartans hosted the Hawkeyes in East Lansing in the teams' first matchup since the 2015 Big Ten Championship. MSU started off hot as Brian Lewerke hit his first five passes including a 22-yard catch by Felton Davis for a touchdown and an early 7–0 lead over Iowa. After exchanging punts on their next possessions, the Spartans again got hot through the air as Lewerke again hit Davis, this time from six yards out to move the MSU lead to 14–0. Iowa would answer as they went 72 yards on 10 plays before Akrum Wadley scored on a 9-yard run that cut the lead in half at 14–7. Michigan State managed a 38-yard field goal from Matt Coghlin with 43 seconds left in the half to push the halftime lead to 17–7.
In the second half, both defenses controlled the game. However, Iowa, on the first possession of the half moved to the Spartan five-yard line before Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley fumbled the ball without being touched and MSU recovered at their own three yard line. The first scoring of the half came with a little over nine minutes left in the game as Iowa converted on a Miguel Recinos 43-yard field goal to narrow the lead to 17–10. After exchanging punts, the Spartans punted to Iowa with just over three minutes remaining in the game. The Spartan defense, however, limited the Hawkeyes to three plays before the clock ran out and the Spartans left with the victory 17–10.
Iowa managed only 231 yards in the game while the Spartans put up 300 yard. The difference in the game were the turnovers as the Spartans, who entered the game with eight turnovers on the season, did not turn the ball over while the Hawkeyes lost two fumbles. The win moved MSU to 3–1 on the season and 1–0 in the Big Ten with a trip to Ann Arbor looming.
Michigan
Leaving Spartan Stadium for the first time on the season, the Spartans traveled to take on rival Michigan in a matchup for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. No. 7-ranked Michigan looked like the better team to start the game as they went 64 yards on 16 plays, but stalled on the MSU 11-yard line and settled for a 30-yard field goal to take an early 3–0 lead. The unranked Spartans were forced to punt on their first possession and, after a first down for Michigan, MSU took control of the game. Joe Bachie stripped Michigan's Ty Isaac and Chris Frey recovered the fumble at the Michigan 46-yard line. The Spartans drove straight down the field and Brian Lewerke scrambled in from 14 yards out to give the Spartans a 7–3 lead. The MSU defense forced Michigan to punt and the Spartan offense stalled at the Michigan 47. Following another punt by the Wolverines, the Spartans capped off an 83-yard drive with a Madre London 16-yard run to put the Spartans up 14–3. Another forced fumble by the Spartan defense ended a Michigan drive at the Spartan 29-yard line with just over a minute remaining in the half. The Spartans happily went to the locker room with a 14–3 lead.