Michigan State football is getting ready for its biggest game of the season, the battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy against their in-state rivals, University of Michigan.
The Spartans are 2-6 on the season and 0-5 in the Big Ten, but the record means little when it comes to this game.
MSU is in the middle of a six-game losing streak and are no longer bowl eligible this season. Though there’s an understanding from most that Pat Fitzgerald’s first season would be a rebuilding year, fans still want a reason to stay invested and a positive to take away from what’s been a disaster of a season so far.
An old-fashioned rivalry that runs between two teams that hate each other, big brother and little brother, green and blue.
A game where every player and every detail matters, but MSU are down 13 players with another five questionable to play.
Standout linebacker Jordan Hall will miss his fifth game of the season. Starting defensive tackle Ben Roberts left the game against UCLA in a wheelchair and will be out, along with several players in the secondary, and both starting running backs.
Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic is listed as questionable after missing the last game against the Bruins and with backup QB Cam Fancher also out for the game, MSU’s hopes to beat their rivals rest heavily on Milivojevic.
For the Spartans and their fans, this game defines their season’s success. For the Wolverines, it’s about maintaining the Paul Bunyan trophy for a fifth straight season and turning their focus to a brutal stretch to close the season against three consecutive ranked teams.
Michigan has dominated the rivalry in recent years but Fitzgerald and MSU are looking to change that this weekend.
The Wolverines go into the rivalry with a quarterback making his third career start. Tommy Carr has looked good so far, but making just his fifth career appearance in a huge rivalry game, there’s no way of knowing what kind of performance he’s going to put on display against the Spartans.
It’s never easy to go into The Big House and get a win, but they have had struggles under their new head coach this season, and with a quarterback making his third career start, the fuel of playing for the Paul Bunyan trophy, and beating your in-state rivals, anything is possible.
The 119th edition of the MSU and UM rivalry game is this Sunday, Nov.7, where Michigan will look to retain the Paul Bunyan trophy, and Michigan State will look to take it back for the first time since 2021
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