 This was the second year for head coach Bobby Williams, who led the Spartans to a 7-5 record including a 44–35 victory in the 2001 Silicon Valley Football Classic over the Fresno State Bulldogs of the Western Athletic Conference.The controversial final play of the home game against Michigan on November 3 led to a change in the official timekeeping policy of the Big Ten Conference.Beginning in 2002, a neutral official appointed by the Big Ten keeps track of the game time on the field.