Michigan vs Michigan State Rivalry Week Continues To Divide Fans

The Backyard Brawl between Michigan and Michigan State is underway. Both campuses are in spirit mode this week, with an exciting lineup of events leading up to the highly anticipated football game.

The teams first played in 1898 and have met 116 times. The game has now been played uninterrupted every year since 1945.

The winner of each year's game receives the Paul Bunyan—Governor of Michigan Trophy, a four-foot wooden statue of a lumberjack first presented in 1953 to commemorate Michigan State's beginning football competition as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

Michigan Wolverines leads the series with an overall record of 73–38–5, though the series has seen switches during which one team or the other has experienced periods of dominance.

Trophy Wins Michigan Leads 40-29-2

Largest score victory October 8, 1902 Michigan 119-0

Winning Streak Michigan 14 in a row

Current Win Streak 2 Michigan

Score from last year's game October 21, 2023
Michigan, 49–0

Oct 17, 2015: All Michigan had to do was get this punt off, and it would hand Michigan State its first loss of the season. Instead, an unfathomable play handed the Wolverines the 27-23 loss.

J.J. McCarthy threw a career-high four touchdowns to help lead Michigan to a decisive 49-0 shutout win vs. Michigan State as the Wolverines improved to 8-0 on the season

A lot can change in one season. Michigan Wolverines have found themselves in the position of quarterback this season, and there has been a loss of many players from last year's championship team.

The Spartans see blood in the water and look to show their Big Brother a game to remember this year.

Michigan's run game has struggled in the first half of the season. Questions are out there about what to do against the Spartans.

Michigan State football has its biggest game of the season this weekend. Sorry, Oregon, Ohio State, and even Indiana. The Paul Bunyan Trophy game is what matters in East Lansing.

On my social media pages, I asked fans of both sides to give their best football rival roasts of each other. Here's what they sent me.

Brian - How did you know when you met a Michigan alum? Wait about 3 seconds, and they’ll tell you.

Chuck - I never insult Spartans. I don’t want them to mess up my food order. #goblue

Michael - Wolverines .. tastes like chicken!

Jerry - Q. Why do all of the trees in Lansing lean towards the east?

A. Because MSU SUCKS!

Brad - Q. What does the average Michigan player get on their SAT?
A. Drool.

Bob - What do you call a football player in Michigan who has talent?
A. A Spartian

Mary, Have you heard the news? Michigan State will only dress 60 players for the game against Michigan. The rest of the players will have to dress themselves.

The Backyard Brawl is set for Saturday, October 26th, at 7:30 p.m. under the lights at The Big House Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

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