“I'll tell you one thing about the three games that we've had, '15, '16, '17, I think they have been played with great sportsmanship on the field, I really do,” Dantonio said in his weekly news conference. “Everybody's playing hard and I think that's good for college football, well-coached football teams and respect; respect what they have done.”

After the Spartans found out the Wolverines were chosen over them to be in the Outback Bowl in 2017, when MSU went 9-3 compared to U-M’s 8-4 and were sent to the Holiday Bowl instead, Dantonio said, "I’ll just continue to concentrate on beating Michigan and let things sort of sort out."

But Dantonio said throughout Harbaugh’s three and a half years at No. 6 U-M, Harbaugh’s “all about” keeping the fight for the Paul Bunyan Trophy with clean sportsmanship, compared to years past.

And Dantonio said he’s been impressed with Harbaugh as a coach.

“I think coach Harbaugh does a great job,” Dantonio said. “I think he's all about that. I think he tries to play the game like it's supposed to be played and I think he respects the football game."

Dantonio said it’s not different from what he tries to do with his team.

“We do the same at our place and I think it permeates down through the players,” Dantonio said. “I hope that's the case.”

It is, especially during the week leading up to the game.

“I feel like there's no need for extra motivation or anything like that,” safety Khari Willis said Tuesday. “I feel like, you know, we are going to prepare. We have enough with the history of this rivalry. We have enough motivation there, and as far as what we want to accomplish this season, I feel like we're going to go out and we're going to play as such.”

Willis said him and his teammates will occasionally get texts from former players leading up to the rivalry game, wishing them good luck. 

But for the most part, Willis said they usually won’t reach out.

“Past players, they understand the magnitude of this game and I feel like we do, as well,” Willis said. “During a week like this, there's not really too much talking. I feel like they understand that and respect that but every once in a while, they will reach out.”

Because for linebacker Joe Bachie and others, it’s a game not only against their biggest rival, but a chance to take the next step to earning a spot in the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis.

Especially after upsetting then-No. 8 Penn State 21-17 last Saturday in Happy Valley.

“Last week we brought the chip back and that's just something you can never lose, and same thing with the underdog thing and how they think of us — never lose it,” Bachie said. “We understand what's at stake. It's a rivalry game.”