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Big Ten Football: Ranking the 30 best players of all time

By Quinn Douglas

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 02: The Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after their 27-21 win over the Wisconsin Badgers during the Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 04: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks for a open receiver in front of a half empty stadium after a over three hour weather delay while playing the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – NOVEMBER 04: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks for a open receiver in front of a half empty stadium after a over three hour weather delay while playing the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium on November 4, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 27-24. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Bubba Smith Career Statistics, 1963-1966

  • Games Played: 21
  • Notables: 1965 & 1966 Consensus First Team All-American, 1966 UPI Defensive Lineman of the Year, #95 retired by Michigan State.

Duffy Daugherty built the Spartans program into a national powerhouse in the 1960’s, and helping with that turnaround were star players such as Bubba Smith. Smith was a big, built defensive end who hailed from Beaumont, Texas and played for his father at Charlton-Pollard High School. Smith had planned on attending the University of Texas, but segregation laws of the time prevented him from doing so.

Smith arrived in East Lansing in the fall of 1963 and had found the field by his junior year in 1965. Smith quickly became a fan favorite as he helped lead Michigan State to back-to-back national championships. Smith finished his career as a two-time consensus All-American and UPI Defensive Lineman of the Year in 1966. He was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 1967 NFL Draft.

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