Football Jerseys & Helmets
Football Jerseys & Helmets
Michigan State Football Jersey & Michigan State Football Helmet History
Changes to the Michigan State football jersey and Michigan State football helmet catalogued by style, head coach and season
The storied tradition of Michigan State football includes championships, historic games, All-Americans and uniform changes. Every Michigan State football head coach has changed either the Michigan State football jersey or the Michigan State football helmet during his tenure. The Michigan State football jersey and Michigan State football helmet has changed twice under Michigan State Head Coach Mark Dantonio.
2010's
* indicates a major change to the Michigan State football jersey or Michigan State football helmet style
All new style produced after two-year rebranding study with Nike. New Spartan Green color, Spartan Font, alternate home jersey and bronze trim.
Traditional style uniforms modeled after the championship teams in Spartan football history.
The helmet featured the Michigan State Helmet Logo. Stripes were removed from the helmet and pants. Green pants were worn for away games.
One of the most drastic style changes in history, and possibly the most unfavorable amongst fans.
The helmet featured the Michigan State Helmet Logo. Jersey contained outlined player numerals and the Diamond Block S Logo on the sleeves.
Green was changed to a brighter kelly green and a thin, black outline was added to everything. Green pants where reintroduced for the last away game.
Style modeled after the Pittsburgh Steelers. Block S Logo on the right side of the helmet. Thick green stripe on the pants.
The helmet featured the Oversized Spartan Head Logo. The logo was designed by team member, and art major, Mike Hurd.
The college football centennial logo replaced the Black Trimmed Spartan Head Logo during the 1969 season.
The helmet featured the Original Spartan Head Logo. The logo was winner of a campus-wide contest held to determine the design.
The helmet featured player numerals to enhance the viewing of growing television audiences.
White helmets with a one-inch green center stripe worn for just two games during the 1954 season.
Green helmets with a one-inch white center stripe. Three stripes on the jerseys and one down the pants.
Departure from the school colors with gold and black jerseys and winged helmets. Winged helmets worn a year before Crisler at Princeton.
Michigan State Football History
Michigan State football started as a club sport in 1885, when Michigan State was Michigan Agricultural College (MAC). In 1896, Michigan State football gained varsity status. Michigan State football played in the Michigan Collegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) conference for twenty-three years before becoming an independent in 1907.
The first recognizable Michigan State football jersey and Michigan State football helmet appeared under head coach Charles Bachman in 1934. Bachman outfitted the Michigan State football team with black and gold uniforms with the players wearing a winged helmet. The success of Bachman's 13 seasons with the Michigan State football team is only second to Duffy Daugherty who coached 6 seasons more than Bachman.
In 1947, "Biggie" Munn was hired as head coach to turn Michigan State football into a powerhouse. In 1949, Michigan State football joined the Big Ten Conference. In the decade following, Michigan State football was known as the "nation's football factory" as Michigan State football cranked out several future Hall of Famers and won four national championships. Munn retired at the end of 1953 with a record of 54-9-2 and turned Michigan State football into national prominence.
In 1954, one of Munn's assistants, Duffy Daugherty, was named head coach. Daugherty took Michigan State football to the Rose Bowl during his second season and defeated UCLA with the score of 17-14. In 1965 and 1966, Michigan State football won its fifth and sixth national championships. The 1966 season ended with "The Game of the Century" where undefeated and ranked #2 Michigan State football hosted undefeated and ranked #1 Notre Dame. The game ended with the infamous 10-10 tie with Notre Dame opting to run out the clock and not to try the end zone late in the fourth quarter. In the 1967 NFL draft, four of the top eight players taken were from the Michigan State football team. Daugherty retired in 1972 with a 109 – 69 – 5 overall record, the best of any Michigan State football coach.
