By The Numbers: A Look At Michigan/Michigan State Through The Years
Michigan and Michigan State have a rich and storied rivalry on the football field, one that dates back to 1898.
The competition has been dominated by the Wolverines, though, with the Maize and Blue holding a 69-35-5 all-time series edge.
In fact, there are only two other teams Michigan has beaten more than the Spartans — Minnesota (73) and Illinois (70).
However, MSU has had its way with the Wolverines lately, winning seven of the past nine meetings.
The only other time the Spartans have endured success like this in the rivalry came in the 1950s and '60s. From 1950 to 1969, Michigan State posted a 14-4-2 record against the Maize and Blue.
However, the longest stretch of dominance from either team in the rivalry's history came from Michigan from 1898 to 1933, when it compiled a 23-2-3 record against its in-state rival.
The series has obviously evened out a bit since that early domination, but Michigan has still always held the upper hand.
In fact, the Wolverines have posted a winning record against MSU in every full decade since the 1910s, with the exception of three — the 1930s, '50s and '60s. MSU does have a lead in the ongoing decade, but Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines will be focused on evening up their current 2-5 disadvantage before 2020.
| Decade | Michigan's Record |
|---|---|
|
1910s |
8-2 |
|
1920s |
10-0 |
|
1930s |
4-4-2 |
|
1940s |
8-0* |
|
1950s |
2-7-1 |
|
1960s |
2-7-1 |
|
1970s |
9-1 |
|
1980s |
8-2 |
|
1990s |
6-4 |
|
2000s |
7-3 |
|
2010s |
2-5 |
Michigan's best-ever decade in the series came in the 1920s, when it went a perfect 10-0 against the Spartans, outscoring them 307-3 over the 10 games.
The two programs first met as conference foes in 1953, which was also the first year the Paul Bunyan Trophy was introduced. It was created to commemorate the Spartans' induction into the Big Ten and reflects the state of Michigan's history as a lumber-producing region.
Although MSU won the 1953 matchup, Michigan athletic director Fritz Crisler had said before the game that his team would not take the trophy if it had won.
After the Wolverines came out victorious in 1954, they grudgingly took the trophy, but stored it in an equipment closet in the Michigan Stadium locker room.
Bo Schembechler was hired as the Maize and Blue's head coach in 1969 and lost his debut game to MSU that year, but went on to post a 17-3 record against the Spartans throughout the rest of his tenure (until 1989).
The 2007 matchup marked the last for Wolverine head coach Lloyd Carr, and the first for current MSU head coach Mark Dantonio.
Michigan won the game, 28-24, but Dantonio's teams have posted a 7-2 record against the Wolverines since.
One of those two MSU losses came in 2012, when Michigan won, 12-10, on a Brendan Gibbons field goal with just five seconds left — the victory was the Wolverines' 900th as a football program, making them the first team to ever accomplish the feat.
By the Numbers: Michigan State at Michigan
1st-Ever meeting between the two rivals in primetime will be Saturday.
2nd Career start for fifth-year senior quarterback John O'Korn at Michigan. He also started last year's 20-10 victory over Indiana when redshirt junior Wilton Speight was injured. He does have plenty of starting experience, though — he played in 20 games and started 16 during his first two years at Houston.
3.7, 3.9, 3.4 Are the yards per carry average of MSU's top three running backs — junior LJ Scott, fifth-year senior Gerald Holmes and redshirt junior Madre London, respectively. U-M leads the country by allowing an average of just 2.2 yards per tote, per CFBStats.com.
4th Night game at Michigan Stadium. The Maize and Blue are a perfect 3-0 in their first three home night games — against Notre Dame in 2011 and 2013, and versus Penn State in 2014.
16 & 9 Is the national rank of Michigan State's rush defense (96.0 yards per game allowed) and pass defense (152.3), respectively, which is a major improvement from last year. The Spartans finished 51st in the former and 36th in the latter in 2016.
70 Percent chance of rain on Saturday, along with 20 mile-per-hour projected winds.
203.3 Yards per game Michigan's defense is allowing, which is the best mark in the country. The next best Power 5 conference defense is Georgia's, which is allowing 244 yards per game. MSU checks in at No. 5 (248.3).
499 Victories for Michigan all time in Big Ten play. The Wolverines are currently in their 110th season as a member of the Big Ten and will be seeking their 500th league triumph on Saturday.
2006-07 Was the last time Michigan beat Michigan State in consecutive seasons. The Wolverines will try to make it two in a row over their in-state rival on Saturday, after posting a 32-23 victory last year.
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