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Let's not kid ourselves about Michigan State's status in the Big Ten or all of college football. When it comes to the Big Ten, Michigan State is at least a full length behind Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State. Perhaps even two steps behind. In the most recent pair of decades, the Spartans may have even fallen behind Wisconsin and Iowa.
From a historic perspective, Michigan State football has been quite notable. They probably rank fourth or fifth in the conference and should probably be considered Top 25 in the nation.
All of this is up for debate among college football fans, but the Spartans have had some brilliant players, many of whom have followed their notable careers in Green and White with achievement at the professional level.
In this piece, we look at the top 10 players in Michigan State history.
All-time great Michigan State players
1. DL Charles “Bubba” Smith, 1965-66
Smith was the best player in the history of the Michigan State program, a game-changing defensive lineman who was the most dominating player in the nation during his college career. He led Michigan State to the top of the college football world in 1966, a season that saw Michigan State win its first nine games of the season and end up on a collision course with Notre Dame for national honors.
The two teams met on a blustery November day in East Lansing, Michigan for a confrontation that was known as “The Game of the Century.” The battle was tight throughout the game and neither team could gain an advantage. The epic game ended up as a 10-10 tie, notable because Notre Dame head coach Ara Parseghian decided not to take a chance with the Irish's last possession by attacking for fear that Smith and the Michigan State defense would cause a turnover that would give Michigan State the win.
Smith was an absolute legend, and Michigan State fans would regularly chant “Kill, Bubba, Kill” in an effort to intimidate opponents. That was also the name of his autobiography.
Smith played his college career at 6-7 and 265 pounds, and he was a two-time All-American player. He would add weight after he was the No. 1 pick in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, and he would play nine seasons in the NFL that also included stints with the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers.
After his playing career ended, he would go on to a career in television and the movies, and he was generally beloved by the public for his performances in Miller Lite commercials, multiple TV series and the Police Academy movies.
2. LB Carl Banks, 1980-81
Banks was one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the Big Ten, and he was a player who was regularly in the minds of opposing offensive coordinators. He could rush the passer, overpower blockers and make the tackles on the ball carriers and cover receivers when asked. He also took on a leadership role with a Spartan team that struggled both years under head coach Muddy Waters.
Still, opponents had to account for Banks on every play. NFL scouts certainly took notice, and he was the No. 3 pick in the 1984 Draft by the New York Giants.
He played nine years with the Giants along with two years for the Cleveland Browns and another season with the Washington Redskins. While Lawrence Taylor dominated the Giants defense throughout the bulk of Banks' time with the Giants, the former Michigan State star was always dependable and dangerous.
Banks had his best season in 1987 when he had 101 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 1 interception. Banks played on two Super Bowl-winning teams and also was a Pro Bowl player.
3. RB Lorenzo White, 1984-87
White was one of the best running backs in college football during his time at Michigan State. Playing for a ground-oriented head coach in George Perles, White proved to be a workhorse for the Spartans. He carried the ball 386 times for 1,908 yards with 17 touchdowns in 1985, and all of those figures led the nation.
White had another dominant season in 1987, when he ran for 1,459 yards and scored 14 touchdowns on 322 carries.
He was fourth in Heisman voting in both of those seasons. White was selected in the first round of the 1987 Draft by the Houston Oilers.
4. RB Le' Veon Bell, 2010-2012
Bell was another explosive running back who dominated for the Spartans and later for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bell excelled at letting his blockers open holes for him and then exploding through them at the perfect moment. He combined power, speed and the proper instincts for the position.
He had a solid 2011 season as a sophomore, rushing for 948 yards, a 5.2 yards per carry average and 13 touchdowns. White had his signature season in 2012, rushing for 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns. He cemented his reputation as a running back who had the tools to excel at the next level, and that happened regularly throughout his NFL career.
5. WR Plaxico Burress, 1998-99
Burress excelled during his time with the Spartans, as he had two consecutive seasons where he demonstrated that he could go over the top of the defense to make contested catches and big plays on a regular basis.
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The 6-5, 232-pound Burress caught 65 passes for 1,013 yards with 8 TDs in '98 and then followed that up by catching 53-957-9 the following year.
He was selected with the No. 8 pick overall of the first round by the Steelers, and he had an 11-year career that featured his Super Bowl-winning catch for the New York Giants against the heavily favored and previously undefeated New England Patriots at the conclusion of the 2007 season.
6. QB Kirk Cousins, 2008-2011
Cousins has been the most talented quarterback in Michigan State history. He became the starter in his sophomore season, and he opened eyes with a 19-9 TD-interception ratio. In the 2010 season, he completed 226 of 338 passes for 2,825 yards with a 20-10 TD-interception ratio. Cousins was at his best as a senior in 2011, throwing for 3,316 yards with a 25-10 TD-interception ratio.
Cousins has gone on to have a notable NFL career with Washington, Minnesota and Atlanta. He is noted for his accuracy and dependability.
7. PK Morten Andersen, 1978-82
A strong argument can be made that Andersen was the best placekicker in the NFL throughout his long professional career.
He was also exceptional as a college player, connecting on 45 of 72 FG attempts throughout his career at Michigan State and 126 of 130 extra-point attempts. His best season came in 1981, when he connected on 14 of 20 three-point attempts.
8. WR Andre Rison, 1985-88
Rison proved to be one of the most dangerous receivers in Spartans history. He was a threat to make a big play because of his speed and explosiveness. He caught a career-best 54 passes for 966 yards and 5 touchdowns in the 1986 season.
The Spartans went 6-5 that season, but they were 9-2-1 the following year, including 7-0-1 in the Big Ten. Rison caught 32-694-5 that season and while his numbers were not as impressive as they were the year before, Michigan State was more of a running team that season. Rison's presence helped the running game because opponents had to account for the receiver on every play.
9. WR Kirk Gibson, 1975-1978
While Gibson would gain his greatest fame on the baseball diamond for the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers, he proved to be a dangerous player for the Spartans.
He was a magnificent athlete in his days with the Spartans, and he could use his toughness and speed to make big plays for three winning Michigan State teams. Gibson had his best season in 1978, catching 42 passes for 806 yards with 7 touchdowns. The versatile Gibson also ran for two TDs that season.
10. WR Gene Washington, 1964-1966
While Bubba Smith was the key player for the defense on the legendary 1966 team, Washington was one of the offense's top players. He was a threat to make a big play on nearly every possession, and he caught 27 passes for 677 yards and 7 touchdowns for an average of 25.1 yards per reception.
Washington went on to a solid NFL career that included 6 years with the Minnesota Vikings and 1 more with the Denver Broncos. He was drafted with the No. 8 pick in the first round by the Vikings in 1967.
