Marquette, Michigan – October 28, 2016 – The Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans football teams have been battling for the Paul Bunyan Trophy since 1953. The trophy was introduced to honor the Spartans joining the Big Ten Conference. Tomorrow, the teams will do battle for the trophy for the 63rd time, in the 109th meeting between the two teams.
While Michigan dominates the all-time record in the series (69-36-3), the Spartans have beaten up on the Wolverines over the last decade. Michigan State will head into Saturday having won 7 of the last 8. This is a game the heavily favorited Wolverines have been looking forward to all year after letting the game slip away last year (read my account and recap of that game here).
The Wolverines are 7-0 and ranked #2 in the country and are on pace to have the greatest statistical defense in college football history. The Spartans have lost 5 straight and are 2-5 after starting the season 2-0.
None of that will matter when the ball is kicked in East Lansing at noon. Records go out the window when rivalry games are played, especially this one. No game mean more to the Spartans every year than when they step on the field against the maize-and-blue.
Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines sit at 7-0 and are looking for Michigan’s first Big ten Championship since 2003. Michigan has 3 tough road games down the stretch that stand in their way, starting with the Spartans (at Iowa, at Ohio State).
The battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy will be another hard-fought game between the two teams. Both programs hate each other, which is what precisely makes a great rivalry. There will be no love lost in East Lansing this weekend, and as a fan, I can’t wait.
