Michigan vs. Michigan State football history: H2H, Records, and more

With 17 national titles and 53 Big Ten titles between the two teams, Michigan vs. Michigan State is one of college football’s biggest rivalries. The series, which was first played in 1898, has been played 114 times. It is also one of the college football rivalries played annually, having been played every year since 1945.

The rivalry is steep in tradition and rich in history. The next game in the series comes up on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. It is a great time to look back on the history that makes it one of the most anticipated matchups in college football.

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Michigan vs. Michigan State Head-to-Head

The Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry is currently led by the Wolverines with a 72-38-5 overall record. A single look at the record paints a picture of total dominance. However, a closer look would reveal that the series has seen a more balanced flow of dominance over the years.

Michigan had a great head start between 1898, when the series began, and 1933. It led with a 23-2-3 record. This could have been because most of the games played in those early years were played on Michigan’s home ground. However, the teams began to alternate home grounds in 1958.

Furthermore, following the admission of the Michigan State Spartans to the Big Ten in 1950, the series became more balanced. The record since then is 39-32-2 in favor of the Wolverines. The longest winning streak in the series still belongs to the Wolverines, going back to when they won 14 straight games from 1916 to 1929.

The Wolverines’ 22-game unbeaten streak from 1916 to 1933 is also the series’ longest unbeaten streak. Michigan’s 119-0 victory over the Spartans remains the largest victory in the history of the rivalry.

The Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry began to be played for the Paul Bunyan Trophy in 1953. The trophy is a wooden statue of Paul Bunyan, the giant lumberjack of American folklore. It is four-feet tall and mounted on a five-foot base.

The trophy has been claimed by the Michigan Wolverines 39 times. The Michigan State Spartans, on the other hand, have won it on 29 occasions. The trophy game ended in a tie twice. The dominance of the series has been balanced recently, with the Spartans winning seven out of eight games between 2008 and 2015.

Michigan won three out of the four next games from 2016 to 2019, with the Spartans winning again in 2020 and 2021. The Wolverines currently hold the bragging rights, however, having won the last matchup in 2022.