Knowing this, Baker put the team on his shoulders, carrying the ball 26 times for 167 yards and a score.

“I always pride myself on running the ball and we did that today,” Baker said. “It goes to the offensive line. The offensive line did a great job. I never stopped believing in them. I told them today all I need is a crease and I’m going to do something with it. They were able to give me that today.”

Saturday’s victory marks the fourth straight time the Spartans have beaten the Wolverines. The winning streak matches MSU’s longest in school history — which last occurred from 1959-62.

For Baker, his 167 yards is the first time any Spartan back has eclipsed 100 yards this season. It also marks his highest total since the season opener, when he ran for 96 yards versus Youngstown State.

“I’m better than what I’ve been doing,” Baker said. “But everything happens for a reason This game happened to be the best game I had of the season.”

Four times Baker has rushed for 140-plus yards and two of those times came against Michigan. So when the Highland Park, Mich., native tweeted he was in for a big game earlier in the week, it wasn’t just a guess.

“I believed it.” Baker said. “I was telling myself that all week and I tweeted it because I believed it and I had a couple of big ones today… I know my capabilities. I know what I’m capable (of doing) and I just believed that.”

Foul play?
It seems the latest buzz is that the Spartans playing a dirty game. MSU totaled 13 penalties totaling 124 yards — one more yard than quarterback Denard Robinson threw for.

On paper, the numbers don’t look pretty, but Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs said the physicality is just the nature of the rivalry game.

“No I don’t (think they were dirty).” Korvacs said. “I’ve played in this game before so I know how it goes.”

For sophomore safety Isaiah Lewis, who sealed the win for the Spartans by returning an interception 39 yards to the end zone, he said if people thought the defense was dirty, they might want to considered a different sport.

“If you want to call that dirty than I don’t know, you might not want to play football,” Lewis said. “Football is an aggressive sport. I mean, that’s what we do and we’re a confident team. I don’t feel like that’s dirty that’s us having fun and having confidence and knowing that we’re the best.”

The good and the bad
Early in the game the Spartans looked to take a lead when senior quarterback Kirk Cousins saw Keshawn Martin open deep down the field. The quarterback rifled it downfield and what appeared to be a sure touchdown bounced off Martin’s handles and fell to the ground.

“I had a couple drops today” Martin said. “But I felt like I made up for it.”

Martin more than made up for the drop, finding the end zone twice on three catches.

“It means a lot,” Martin said. “I’m supposed to make plays out there, I didn’t let (the drops) affect me. I just kept playing and we ended up with a W.”