Michigan & Michigan State exit their respective bye weeks riding opposite waves as the fourth quarter of the college football season approaches.

The No. 5 Wolverines (7-0, 4-0) are undefeated & a few wins away from a spot in the College Football Playoff, while the Spartans (3-4, 1-3) are a half-game ahead of Indiana for the sixth spot in the Big Ten East.

With two-straight wins over Michigan to start the Mel Tucker era, all bets are off under the lights at Michigan Stadium on Saturday night. The rivalry setting mitigates contrasting records & one-sided metrics.

For numerous players on both sides, this rivalry is beyond football. It's about personal business, bragging rights, and nostalgia. Perhaps the rivalry's most symbolic treasure is the Paul Bunyan Trophy, which hasn't left East Lansing in two years.

Michigan safety Makari Paige is from nearby West Bloomfield, where he played for U-M wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy.

Paige grew up a Wolverines fan and watched his dreams materialize when he signed as a four-star in 2020.

"My family's always been Michigan fans, so we always didn't like them," Paige said. "It's personal, for sure."

Through two seasons, he's winless against the Spartans.

When the 6-foot-4 defensive back arrived in Ann Arbor as a freshman, he saw first-team reps in Don Brown's last season as U-M's defensive coordinator -- but lost to the Spartans under a first-year head coach at home as 20-point favorites.

Sound familiar?

Paige lost significant playing time last year as a sophomore learning a new defense. The Wolverines traveled to E.L. for a battle of unbeaten in a top 10 matchup. Again, Tucker's Spartans won the day.

Two years after arriving in Ann Arbor, Paige has settled in as a junior, firmly grasping the second safety position over RJ Moten over the last three games.

With great honor comes great responsibility, and as a Michigan native who grew up on the rivalry, Paige knew how to embrace it upon arrival.

What about the out-of-state players who are foreign to the mitten state's traditions & the significance of Paul Bunyan?

"Coming here, I just think everyone around here knows what it means," Paige said. "Being around the environment & culture here, when it's Michigan State week, you just know. It's time to go."

Paige has an old buddy who will line up opposite him on Saturday in MSU WR Tre Mosley, who also played his high school ball at West Bloomfield.

The longtime friends talk throughout the week all season.

Now, they face off.

"It's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to it. It's time to go against him. I'm ready for it -- you feel me? Knowing his techniques & stuff, he's a lot better since high school, obviously, so there's some stuff I can probably see if I'm going head-to-head with him. But other than that, he probably improved a lot more."

Paige added that he hasn't talked to Mosley this week -- and likely won't.

For the Metro Detroit native who's winless against the Spartans in his first two seasons, this week is about one thing.

"Having Paul over there for two years, we want him back."

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