The 1940 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State College as an independent during the 1940 college football season. In their eighth season under head coach Charlie Bachman, the Spartans compiled a 3–4–1 record and lost their annual rivalry game with Michigan by a 21 to 14 score. In inter-sectional play, the team lost to Temple (21–19) and Kansas State (32–0), played Santa Clara to a scoreless tie, and defeated West Virginia (17–0).