The Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy is one of the most storied rivalries in all of college sports.
From last-second winning plays to physical conflict, the annual Michigan vs. Michigan State showdown has made and sunk seasons.
MSU football’s best performances against Michigan since 2010
Junior running back Kenneth Walker III breaks away for a touchdown during the Spartans' 37-33 win against the Wolverines on Oct. 30, 2021.
The Wolverines have bragging rights since the early 1900s, holding a 73-38-5 record against the Spartans. In the past 15 years, though, the Spartans have taken the upper hand, winning nine times.
This Saturday, Oct. 26 will mark the 117th meeting between the in-state rivals. Michigan has won the last two.
Here are some of MSU's best performances against Michigan since 2010, not including the famous "Trouble With The Snap" night in 2015, a game the Spartans would've lost if not for a major Wolverine blunder and miraculous finish.
2020 (27-24)
MSU football's 2020 season had very little bright spots, which only amplified its upset of No. 13 Michigan on the road in an empty Big House during the pandemic.
In the first week of the unorthodox 2020 season, MSU lost to Rutgers at home and Michigan beat a ranked Minnesota team on the road. The Wolverines were the heavy favorites in week two against MSU, but the Spartans played their best game of the season and pulled off the upset.
It was a back-and-forth classic, with MSU quarterback Rocky Lombardi making accurate big-time plays and threw for over 300 yards and no interceptions. MSU freshman wide receiver Ricky White was dominant, hauling in eight receptions for 196 yards and one touchdown.
2010 (34-17)
The early 2010s were synonymous with former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio’s presence in the Big Ten and numerous wins over Michigan, one of the most prominent in 2010 in a 34-17 MSU victory at Michigan Stadium.
In a top 20 matchup, the No. 17 Spartans took their third win out of four games over the No. 18 Wolverines in a defensive battle. MSU grabbed three interceptions and held Michigan to 17 points and a scoreless third quarter. Running back Edwin Baker tallied 147 of MSU’s 249 rushing yards. Quarterback Kirk Cousins went 18-for-25 for 284 yards and one touchdown.
MSU went on the share the Big Ten title with Wisconsin and appeared in the Capital One Bowl, only to be blown out by Alabama.
2011 (28-14)
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This game was a coronation for Cousins in East Lansing, partially for his performance and also because he finished his MSU career undefeated against Michigan with the 28-14 win. Dantonio and the Spartans put up one of their more dominant defensive displays of the era against Michigan's Denard Robinson and Brady Hoke.
In another ranked matchup, No. 23 MSU hosted No. 11 Michigan. Baker turned in another high-impact performance, rushing for 167 yards. On the other end, Michigan’s run game led by Robinson was shut down by the Spartans. The Wolverines totaled 82 rushing yards.
Had Michigan won on the road, MSU would've missed out on a triple-overtime thriller against Georgia in the Outback Bowl, where the Spartans won 33-30 to cap off Cousins' esteemed career as a Spartan.
2021 (37-33)
This top 10 matchup went down as one of the most intense the rivalry has seen and certainly one of the biggest in Spartan Stadium's history.
Entering Halloween weekend undefeated and the No. 8 team in the country, the Spartans faced the No. 6 Wolverines, who were also undefeated. MSU came back from a 16-point deficit in the second half to stun its rival 37-33 and earn its biggest win in years.
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Transfer running back Kenneth Walker III ran for five touchdowns and 197 yards. At the end of the season, Walker was given the Doak Walker Award. The loss didn't derail the Wolverines, who went on to beat Ohio State for the first time in a decade, win the conference title and appear in the College Football Playoff.
After beating Michigan, MSU suffered consecutive losses to Purdue and Ohio State and didn't make the Big Ten Championship game, instead winning the Peach Bowl over the Pittsburgh Panthers.
2013 (29-6)
Of MSU's nine wins against Michigan in the last 15 years, none was more dominant than in 2013.
MSU's No. 1 defense in the nation that season stifled the Wolverines, pushing them back play after play. Michigan finished with -48 rushing yards and was sacked seven times. Spartan quarterback Connor Cook, in his first season as the starter, passed for 252 yards on 18 attempts en route to a 29-6 victory in the top 25 matchup.
In the grand scheme of things, MSU needed the win. Dantonio and the Spartans went on to win the Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl.
