[1] Michigan State Normal College had 820 students enrolled as of October 3, 1902.
[2] The college celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding on October 6, shortly before the football season began.
[3] Clayton Teetzel returned as the team's head coach for the third year.
One of the team's most promising prospects, Harry Smith, left the squad before the season began as he had to work at a local drug store when school was not in session.
[2] Teetzel left the program after the 1902–03 academic year; he went on to coach football at Utah State Agricultural College from 1909 to 1915.