Michigan State Spartans Tilt 4-3 Defense (1997) - Nick Saban

The 1997 Michigan State Spartans football team finished the regular season with a 7-5 record, including a 4-4 mark in the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans were invited to the Aloha Bowl, where they lost to the Washington Huskies 51-23.

The Spartans were led by third-year head coach Nick Saban. Saban had inherited a struggling program in 1995, but he was able to turn things around quickly. The Spartans had a 6-5 record in 1995 and a 7-6 record in 1996.

Nick Saban was the head coach of the 1997 Michigan State Spartans football team. It was his third season as head coach at Michigan State, and he led the Spartans to a 7-5 record, including a 4-4 mark in the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans were invited to the Aloha Bowl, where they lost to the Washington Huskies 51-23.

Saban arrived at Michigan State in 1995 after four seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. He inherited a program that was struggling, but he was able to turn things around quickly. The Spartans had a 6-5 record in 1995 and a 7-6 record in 1996.

The 1997 Spartans were a solid team, but they were not able to compete with the top teams in the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans' defense was ranked 11th in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 27.9 points per game. The Spartans' offense was ranked 10th in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 24.6 points per game.