The Michigan State Spartans football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Michigan State Spartans football program in various categories,[1][2] including passing, rushing, total offense, receiving, defensive stats, kicking, and scoring. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, Single season and career leaders. The Spartans represent Michigan State University in the NCAA's Big Ten Conference.
Although Michigan State began competing in intercollegiate football in 1896,[1] the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1945. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons:
- Since 1945, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length.
- The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers.
- Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002.[3] The Spartans have played in 10 bowl games since then.
- Similarly, the Spartans have played in the Big Ten Championship Game three times since it began in 2011, so players in those seasons had 14 games to accumulate statistics.
- Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not be counted against any football player's athletic eligibility, giving players active in that season five years of eligibility instead of the standard four.
These lists are updated through Michigan State's game against Ohio State on November 20, 2021.
Passing
Passing yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Connor Cook |
9,194 |
2012 2013 2014 2015
|
2 |
Kirk Cousins |
9,131 |
2008 2009 2010 2011
|
3 |
Jeff Smoker |
8,932 |
2000 2001 2002 2003
|
4 |
Brian Lewerke |
8,293 |
2016 2017 2018 2019
|
5 |
Drew Stanton |
6,524 |
2003 2004 2005 2006
|
6 |
Payton Thorne |
6,501[4] |
2020 2021 2022
|
7 |
Brian Hoyer |
6,159 |
2005 2006 2007 2008
|
8 |
Dave Yarema |
5,809 |
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
|
9 |
Ed Smith |
5,706 |
1976 1977 1978
|
10 |
Bill Burke |
5,463 |
1996 1997 1998 1999
|
|
Single-Season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Jeff Smoker |
3,395 |
2003
|
2 |
Kirk Cousins |
3,316 |
2011
|
3 |
Payton Thorne |
3,240[4] |
2021
|
4 |
Connor Cook |
3,214 |
2014
|
5 |
Connor Cook |
3,131 |
2015
|
6 |
Brian Lewerke |
3,079 |
2019
|
7 |
Drew Stanton |
3,077 |
2005
|
8 |
Kirk Cousins |
2,825 |
2010
|
9 |
Brian Lewerke |
2,793 |
2017
|
10 |
Connor Cook |
2,755 |
2013
|
|
|
Passing touchdowns
Rushing
Rushing yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Lorenzo White |
4,887 |
1984 1985 1986 1987
|
2 |
Javon Ringer |
4,398 |
2005 2006 2007 2008
|
3 |
Tico Duckett |
4,212 |
1989 1990 1991 1992
|
4 |
Blake Ezor |
3,749 |
1986 1987 1988 1989
|
5 |
Sedrick Irvin |
3,504 |
1996 1997 1998
|
6 |
T. J. Duckett |
3,379 |
1999 2000 2001
|
7 |
Le'Veon Bell |
3,346 |
2010 2011 2012
|
8 |
Jeremy Langford |
2,967 |
2012 2013 2014
|
9 |
Duane Goulbourne |
2,848 |
1992 1993 1994 1996
|
10 |
LJ Scott |
2,771 |
2015 2016 2017 2018
|
|
Single-Season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Lorenzo White |
2,066 |
1985
|
2 |
Le'Veon Bell |
1,793 |
2012
|
3 |
Javon Ringer |
1,673 |
2008
|
4 |
Kenneth Walker III |
1,636[10] |
2021
|
5 |
Lorenzo White |
1,572 |
1987
|
6 |
Jeremy Langford |
1,522 |
2014
|
7 |
Blake Ezor |
1,496 |
1988
|
8 |
Eric Allen |
1,494 |
1971
|
9 |
Javon Ringer |
1,447 |
2007
|
10 |
Jeremy Langford |
1,422 |
2013
|
|
|
Rushing touchdowns
Receiving
Receptions
Receiving yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
B.J. Cunningham |
3,086 |
2008 2009 2010 2011
|
2 |
Andre Rison |
2,992 |
1985 1986 1987 1988
|
3 |
Charles Rogers |
2,821 |
2001 2002
|
4 |
Kirk Gibson |
2,347 |
1975 1976 1977 1978
|
5 |
Tony Lippett |
2,247 |
2011 2012 2013 2014
|
6 |
Courtney Hawkins |
2,210 |
1988 1989 1990 1991
|
7 |
Aaron Burbridge |
2,174 |
2012 2013 2014 2015
|
8 |
Plaxico Burress |
2,155 |
1998 1999
|
9 |
Mark Dell |
2,136 |
2007 2008 2009 2010
|
10 |
Gari Scott |
2,095 |
1996 1997 1998 1999
|
|
Single-Season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Charles Rogers |
1,470 |
2001
|
2 |
Charles Rogers |
1,351 |
2002
|
3 |
B.J. Cunningham |
1,306 |
2011
|
4 |
Devin Thomas |
1,260 |
2007
|
5 |
Aaron Burbridge |
1,258 |
2015
|
6 |
Tony Lippett |
1,198 |
2014
|
7 |
Plaxico Burress |
1,142 |
1999
|
8 |
Courtney Hawkins |
1,080 |
1989
|
9 |
Jayden Reed |
1,026[13] |
2021
|
10 |
Plaxico Burress |
1,013 |
1998
|
|
|
Receiving touchdowns
Total offense
Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.[15]
Total offense yards
Career
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Years
|
1 |
Connor Cook |
9,403 |
2012 2013 2014 2015
|
2 |
Kirk Cousins |
9,004 |
2008 2009 2010 2011
|
3 |
Jeff Smoker |
8,714 |
2000 2001 2002 2003
|
4 |
Drew Stanton |
8,036 |
2003 2004 2005 2006
|
5 |
Payton Thorne |
6,771[4] |
2020 2021 2022
|
6 |
Brian Hoyer |
5,930 |
2005 2006 2007 2008
|
7 |
Ed Smith |
5,556 |
1976 1977 1978
|
8 |
Brian Lewerke |
5,284 |
2016 2017 2018
|
9 |
Dave Yarema |
5,269 |
1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
|
10 |
Bill Burke |
4,934 |
1996 1997 1998 1999
|
|
Single season
Rank
|
Player
|
Yards
|
Year
|
1 |
Payton Thorne |
3,421[4] |
2021
|
2 |
Drew Stanton |
3,415 |
2005
|
3 |
Brian Lewerke |
3,352 |
2017
|
4 |
Connor Cook |
3,294 |
2014
|
5 |
Jeff Smoker |
3,279 |
2003
|
6 |
Kirk Cousins |
3,277 |
2011
|
7 |
Connor Cook |
3,187 |
2015
|
8 |
Connor Cook |
2,831 |
2013
|
9 |
Kirk Cousins |
2,740 |
2009
|
10 |
Payton Thorne |
2,721[4] |
2022
|
|
|
Touchdowns responsible for
"Touchdowns responsible for" is the official NCAA term for combined passing and rushing touchdowns.
Michigan State's record book does not list single-game leaders in this category.
Defense
Interceptions
|
|
Single Game
Rank
|
Player
|
Ints
|
Year
|
Opponent
|
1 |
John Miller |
4 |
1987 |
Michigan
|
|
Tackles
|
|
Single Game
Rank
|
Player
|
Tackles
|
Year
|
Opponent
|
1 |
Dan Bass |
32 |
1979 |
Ohio State
|
2 |
Don Law |
28 |
1969 |
Ohio State
|
3 |
Dan Bass |
24 |
1979 |
Notre Dame
|
4 |
Percy Snow |
23 |
1989 |
Illinois
|
5 |
Ty Hallock |
21 |
1992 |
Minnesota
|
|
Shane Bullough |
21 |
1985 |
Indiana
|
|
Brad Van Pelt |
21 |
1971 |
Notre Dame
|
|
Doug Barr |
21 |
1969 |
Ohio State
|
|
Don Law |
21 |
1967 |
Indiana
|
|
Sacks
Kicking
Field goals made
Field goal percentage
Scoring
Michigan State's most recent record book (2021) does not break down leaders over any time frame (career, single-season, game) by type of score. Some leaders' breakdowns can be extrapolated from information included in the record book, or from other sources.
Total points
Total touchdowns
These lists include touchdowns scored by each individual player, thus including rushing, receiving, and return touchdowns but not passing touchdowns. Michigan State does not break down its lists of total touchdown leaders by type of play.
References
- ^ a b "2015 Michigan State Football Media Guide". MSUSpartans.com. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
- ^ "2021 Michigan State Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State Spartans. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "NCAA changes policy on football stats". ESPN.com. AP. August 28, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Payton Thorne". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Michigan State vs. Maryland Box Score". ESPN.com. September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
- ^ "Youngstown State vs. Michigan State Box Score". ESPN.com. September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
- ^ "Michigan State vs. Miami Box Score". ESPN.com. September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
- ^ "Maryland vs. Michigan State Box Score". ESPN.com. November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Western Michigan vs. Michigan State Box Score". ESPN.com. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Kenneth Walker III". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Michigan State vs. Northwestern Box Score". ESPN.com. September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Box Score: Michigan vs. Michigan State". ESPN.com. October 30, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Jayden Reed". ESPN.com.
- ^ "Michigan State vs. Rutgers Box Score". ESPN.com. October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ "Official 2007 NCAA Division I Football Record Book" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 1, 2007. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
- ^ "Jacub Panasiuk". ESPN.com.
- ^ a b c d "Matt Coghlin". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
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National championship seasons in bold |