Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Ranked No. 6 in Final Polls
1/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State, which finished the 2015 season with the second-most wins in school history (12-2 record), won the Big Ten Championship for the second time in three years and reached the College Football Playoff, is ranked No. 6 in the final Associated Press and USA TODAY/Amway Coaches Polls, released Tuesday, Jan. 12.
The Spartans finish ranked among the nation's Top 10 for the third year in a row (No. 3 in both polls in 2013; No. 5 in both polls in 2014) -- a program first since 1955-57 (No. 2 in 1955; No. 9 in 1956; No. 3 in 1957). The Spartans finished in the AP Top 10 a school-record four consecutive years from 1950-53 (No. 8 in 1950; No. 2 in 1951; No. 1 in 1952; No. 3 in 1953).
MSU and Alabama (No. 7 in 2013, No. 4 in 2014, No. 1 in 2015) are the only schools to finish in the Top 10 of the last three final AP Polls.
Michigan State, which has posted a 36-5 record since 2013, is one of only four schools in the nation to play in a Bowl Championship Series Game (2014 Rose Bowl), a New Year's Six game (2015 Cotton Bowl) and the College Football Playoff (2015 CFP Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl) in the last three seasons (Alabama, Florida State, Ohio State). MSU's 36 wins since 2013 are fourth most in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision.
"2015 proved to be yet another defining season for our football program, defeating four ranked opponents, in Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa; winning the Big Ten Championship; advancing to the College Football Playoff; and finishing in the top six in the polls for the third year in a row," Dantonio said. "The 2015 season created many exciting memories for our fans and players alike.
"We're 36-5 over the last three seasons, so with the sustained excellence, we've clearly established ourselves as one of the premier programs in the country. We look forward to carrying the momentum into the year 2016."
This marks MSU's 15th Top 10 finish in the history of the AP Poll. Michigan State has been ranked in the AP Poll for a school-record 41 consecutive weeks, including 32 weeks in the Top 10.
It also marks MSU's sixth Top 10 finish in the history of the USA TODAY Coaches Poll (began administering the poll in 1991), including its fourth under head coach Mark Dantonio.
Dantonio has led Michigan State to Top 25 finishes in six of his nine seasons (2008: No. 24 in both polls; 2010: No. 14 in both polls; 2011: No. 10 USA TODAY/No. 11 AP; 2013: No. 3 in both polls; 2014: No. 5 in both polls; and 2015: No. 6 in both polls).
Dantonio's six AP Top-25 finishes are tied for second most in school history (Biggie Munn, who coached from 1947-53, had six consecutive from 1948-53). Duffy Daugherty's teams posted seven Top-25 finishes during his 19-year tenure from 1954-72.
Michigan State has recorded 65 wins since 2010 -- the most in the Big Ten over the last five seasons and fifth most in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. The Spartans are 65-16 (.802) since 2010 while posting at least 11 victories in five of the last six years. Dantonio is the first coach in Big Ten history to record five 11-win seasons in a six-year span.
Michigan State had its school-record four-game bowl winning streak snapped with a 38-0 loss to National Champion Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 31. MSU has appeared in school-record nine consecutive bowl games.
Michigan State's 2016 season opener is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Furman in Spartan Stadium.
