Conference Big Ten Conference Head coach Muddy Waters | 1980 record 3–8 (2–6 Big Ten) Home stadium Spartan Stadium | |
Captain Steve Smith, Rodney Strata, George Cooper, Bernard Hay | ||
The 1980 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State University in the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. The Spartans finished in ninth place in the Big Ten Conference (Big Ten), compiled a 3–8 overall record (2–6 against Big Ten opponents), and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 279 to 221. The team's .217 winning percentage was the worst in program history since the winless 1917 season. The team played its home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.
In January 1980, Michigan State hired Frank "Muddy" Waters as its new head football coach after Darryl Rogers resigned to take over as Arizona State's head coach. Waters had played for Michigan State from 1946 to 1949 and had been a head coach at Hillsdale College (1954–1973) and Saginaw Valley State (1975–1979).
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback John Leister with 1,559 passing yards, Steve Smith with 667 rushing yards, Ted Jones with 568 receiving yards, and placekicker Morten Andersen with 57 points. Punter Ray Stachowicz was selected by both the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI) as a first-team player on the 1980 All-Big Ten Conference football team. Several Michigan State players also ranked among the Big Ten leaders in various statistical categories, including the following: