Bubba Smith Ranked One of the Top College Football Players of All-Time
1/13/2020 9:52:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State two-time All-American defensive end Charles "Bubba" Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1967 NFL Draft, has been named one of the top 150 college football players of all-time. Smith, who helped Michigan State win back-to-back National Championships and Big Ten titles in 1965 and 1966, came in at No. 31 overall on the list. He was also the third-highest ranked defensive end (Hugh Green, Pitt, No. 12; Reggie White, Tennessee, No. 19).
The players were selected by a group of 150 voters, including media personalities, writers, broadcasters and university administrators, as part of ESPN's year-long CFB150 project celebrating the 150th anniversary of college football.
Born Feb. 28, 1945, in Orange, Texas, Smith earned three letters at Michigan State from 1964-66, while playing for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty. In his final two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end helped the Spartans to a combined record of 19-1-1, including back-to-back Big Ten and National Championships in 1965 and 1966.
As a junior, he emerged as one of the top playmakers on a defensive unit that led the NCAA in rushing defense (45.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (6.2 points per game), earning first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and United Press International. Michigan State held three of its 1965 opponents to negative rushing yards: Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
As a senior, Smith was named a first-team All-American by nine different organizations, including The Associated Press, UPI, Football Writers Association of America, AFCA, Newspaper Enterprise Association, The Sporting News, Central Press, Football News and New York News. In addition, he was selected UPI Lineman of the Year in 1966. Despite being regularly double- or triple-teamed or having opponents run away from his side of the field, Smith still produced 30 tackles (15 solos, 15 assists), including 10 for losses (59 yards). Michigan State ranked third in the NCAA in rushing defense in 1966, allowing just 51.4 yards per game.
Smith became the first selection overall in the 1967 National Football League Draft by the Baltimore Colts. He spent nine years in the NFL, including five seasons in Baltimore (1967-71), two in Oakland (1973-74) and two more in Houston (1975-76). Smith was a member of the 1970 Colts team that defeated Dallas, 16-13, in Super Bowl V (Jan. 17, 1971). He made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 1970-71 and was named First-Team All-Pro by AP and Pro Football Writers in 1971.
In 1988, the Beaumont, Texas, native was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Smith became a member of the inaugural class inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2006, he was rated among the Top 10 Greatest Defensive Players of All-Time, according to lists compiled by CollegeFootballNews.com's Pete Fiutak (No. 6) and Richard Cirminiello (No. 8). On Sept. 23, 2006, Smith became just the third player in MSU football history to have his jersey number retired (No. 95). His jersey retirement was part of a special program to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1966 "Game of the Century" between the second-ranked Spartans and top-ranked Notre Dame that ended in a 10-10 tie. In 2010, Smith ranked No. 26 among the Top 50 Big Ten Icons, according to a list compiled by the Big Ten Network. Beginning in 2011, the Big Ten recognized the conference's top defensive lineman with the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year Award as selected by the league's head coaches and media panel, honoring MSU's two-time All-American as well as Penn State's Courtney Brown.
Smith passed away at the age of 66 on Aug. 3, 2011.
The players were selected by a group of 150 voters, including media personalities, writers, broadcasters and university administrators, as part of ESPN's year-long CFB150 project celebrating the 150th anniversary of college football.
Born Feb. 28, 1945, in Orange, Texas, Smith earned three letters at Michigan State from 1964-66, while playing for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty. In his final two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end helped the Spartans to a combined record of 19-1-1, including back-to-back Big Ten and National Championships in 1965 and 1966.
As a junior, he emerged as one of the top playmakers on a defensive unit that led the NCAA in rushing defense (45.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (6.2 points per game), earning first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and United Press International. Michigan State held three of its 1965 opponents to negative rushing yards: Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
As a senior, Smith was named a first-team All-American by nine different organizations, including The Associated Press, UPI, Football Writers Association of America, AFCA, Newspaper Enterprise Association, The Sporting News, Central Press, Football News and New York News. In addition, he was selected UPI Lineman of the Year in 1966. Despite being regularly double- or triple-teamed or having opponents run away from his side of the field, Smith still produced 30 tackles (15 solos, 15 assists), including 10 for losses (59 yards). Michigan State ranked third in the NCAA in rushing defense in 1966, allowing just 51.4 yards per game.
Smith became the first selection overall in the 1967 National Football League Draft by the Baltimore Colts. He spent nine years in the NFL, including five seasons in Baltimore (1967-71), two in Oakland (1973-74) and two more in Houston (1975-76). Smith was a member of the 1970 Colts team that defeated Dallas, 16-13, in Super Bowl V (Jan. 17, 1971). He made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 1970-71 and was named First-Team All-Pro by AP and Pro Football Writers in 1971.
In 1988, the Beaumont, Texas, native was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Smith became a member of the inaugural class inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2006, he was rated among the Top 10 Greatest Defensive Players of All-Time, according to lists compiled by CollegeFootballNews.com's Pete Fiutak (No. 6) and Richard Cirminiello (No. 8). On Sept. 23, 2006, Smith became just the third player in MSU football history to have his jersey number retired (No. 95). His jersey retirement was part of a special program to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1966 "Game of the Century" between the second-ranked Spartans and top-ranked Notre Dame that ended in a 10-10 tie. In 2010, Smith ranked No. 26 among the Top 50 Big Ten Icons, according to a list compiled by the Big Ten Network. Beginning in 2011, the Big Ten recognized the conference's top defensive lineman with the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year Award as selected by the league's head coaches and media panel, honoring MSU's two-time All-American as well as Penn State's Courtney Brown.
Smith passed away at the age of 66 on Aug. 3, 2011.
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