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Obituary: George Perles

George Perles, who coached Michigan State to a Rose Bowl victory in 1988 and was an assistant for the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers teams of the 1970s that won four Super Bowls, died Tuesday, the school said. He was 85.

Perles played football at Michigan State and later was an assistant coach, head coach, athletic director and member of the school’s governing body.

Michigan State hired Perles in 1983 to revive its beleaguered football program. He did just that, winning Big Ten titles in 1987 and 1990 and coaching the school in seven bowl games. He helped the Spartans beat Southern California, 20-16, on Jan. 1, 1988, for their first Rose Bowl win in three-plus decades.

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