The helmet featured the Original Spartan Head Logo. The logo was winner of a campus-wide contest held to determine the design.
Helmet
Barefoot punter Dick Kennedy wearing the 1965 – 1966 helmet
Pat Gallinagh wearing the 1965 – 1966 externally padded helmet
In 1965, head coach Duffy Daugherty and athletic director Bert Smith held a campus-wide contest to determine the design of the first Michigan State Helmet Logo (dubbed the “Original Spartan Head Logo”) to be used on a Michigan State helmet replacing the player numerals.
- Kelly green helmet
- White one-inch center stripe
- Original Spartan Head Logo on both sides
- Gray facemask
- White two-inch player numerals placed on each side of the center stripe on back
Many players chose the MacGregor externally padded helmet instead of the standard Riddell suspension helmet because the MacGregor helmets were designed to minimize concussions and internal injury to the skull. The padded helmets were constructed by covering the center ridge of the helmet with a piece of foam padding which was then covered, secured, and protected by a sheet of synthetic leather. It was glued to the helmet and painted to match the Kelly green shell. Michigan State had many players wearing the padded helmets as late as the 1968 season.
Jersey
Bob Apisa, Clinton Jones, Bubba Smith, Gene Washington and George Webster wearing the 1965 – 1966 jerseys
- Green jersey
- White “MICHIGAN STATE” appears above the player numerals
- White solid color player numerals on front
- White solid color player numerals on back
- No player last names on the back above the player numerals
- White solid color TV numbers on side of shoulders
Pants
Bubba Smith wearing the 1965 – 1966 pants
- White pants
- One stripe: one-inch green striping
- Same pants used for home and away games
Away Uniform
Jersey
Jerald Jones and George Webster wearing the 1965 – 1966 away jerseys
- White jersey
- Green “MICHIGAN STATE” appears above the player numerals
- Green solid color player numerals on front
- Green solid color player numerals on back
- Green solid color TV numbers on side of shoulders
- No player last names on the back above the player numerals