1952Michigan State Spartans football
Consensus national champion
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 1
AP	No. 1
Record	9–0
Head coach	Biggie Munn (6th season)
MVP	Dick Tamburo
Captain	Donald McAuliffe
Home stadium	Macklin Stadium
Seasons ← 1951 1953 →

The1952 Michigan State Spartans football team was anAmerican football team that representedMichigan State College as an independent during the1952 college football season. In their sixth year under head coachBiggie Munn, the Spartans recorded a perfect 9–0 record, outscored opponents by a total of 312 to 84, and were recognized as the 1952national champion.^[1][2] The season was part of a 28-game winning streak that began in October 1950 and continued until October 1953.

In the finalAP Poll released on December 1, 1952, Michigan State was ranked No. 1 with 2,683 points, more than 400 points ahead of No. 2Georgia Tech.^[3] The Spartans also finished with the No. 1 ranking in the finalUPI coaches poll.^[4][5] The team was also recognized as the 1952 national champion in later analyses issued by theBoand System,DeVold System,Dunkel System,College Football Researchers Association,Helms Athletic Foundation,Litkenhous,National Championship Foundation,Sagarin Ratings, andWilliamson System.^[6]: 113 It was Michigan State's first consensus national championship.^[6]: 120 Five other selectors choseGeorgia Tech as national champion. It was also Michigan State's last year as a football independent, as the Spartans became a football member of theBig Ten Conference in 1953.

Four Michigan State players were recognized on the1952 All-America college football team: back Don McAuliffe (first-team honors from theUnited Press, All-America Board, andCollier's); centerDick Tamburo (first-team honors from theAssociated Press,Central Press Association, andInternational News Service); guardFrank Kush (first-team honors from the Associated Press); and end Ed Luke (second-team honors from the Associated Press).^[7]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterbackTom Yewcic with 941 passing yards, halfbackBilly Wells with 585 rushing yards, end Ellis Duckett with 323 receiving yards, and halfbacks Don McAuliffe andLeroy Bolden with 54 points each.^[8]

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 27	atMichigan	No. 1	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)	W 27–13	97,239	[9]
October 4	atOregon State	No. 1	Multnomah Stadium Portland, OR	W 17–14	22,595	[10]
October 11	Texas A&M	No. 2	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 48–6	49,123	[11]
October 18	Syracuse	No. 1	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 48–7	38,254	[12]
October 25	No. 17Penn State	No. 1	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)	W 34–7	51,162	[13]
November 1	at No. 8Purdue	No. 1	Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	W 14–7	49,500	[14]
November 8	atIndiana	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN (rivalry)	W 41–14	22,000	[15]
November 15	No. 6Notre Dame	No. 1	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)	W 21–3	52,472	[16]
November 22	Marquette	No. 1	Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI	W 62–13	35,845	[17]
Homecoming Rankings fromAP Poll released prior to the game

• Head coach:Biggie Munn
• Assistant coaches:Duffy Daugherty,Dan Devine,Earle Edwards,Dewey King,Steve Sebo

^[19]

• 1952 Big Ten Conference football season
• Michigan State Spartans football seasons
• College football national champions
• College football undefeated seasons
• 1952 in sports in Michigan

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• Use mdy dates from August 2023
• Pages using CFB schedule with named parameters