This Week in Michigan Football: U-M vs. Michigan State
10/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 16, 2015
• Complete Game Notes 
| Game Central
Battle for State Supremacy
• The annual battle on the gridiron between Michigan and Michigan State started in 1898 and has featured some of the most exciting contests in both schools' histories.
• The two programs have met every year since 1945, a streak of 70 consecutive seasons.
• With the exception of 1943 and 1944, when the series was suspended due to World War II, the Wolverines and Spartans have met on the football field every year since 1910.
Michigan State Series History
• This will be the 108th meeting in the all-time series with Michigan State.
• The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 68-34-5, and have won 23 of the last 35 games played between the two schools dating back to 1979 • Michigan has won four of the last 10 games in the series; their last win came in 2012, a 12-10 affair at Michigan Stadium.
• The last two games in the series were played in East Lansing, a pair of victories secured by the Spartans.
63rd Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy
• Saturday's game between the in-state rivals will be the 63rd played for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
• The Wolverines hold a 35-25-2 advantage in the trophy game.
• Michigan has won 31 of the past 45 games played between the two schools since 1970.
• Michigan State has won six of the past seven, but the series is tied, 6-6, in the last 12 games played in the series.
• MSU has held possession of the Bunyan Trophy for the past two seasons, winning a 29-6 game in 2013 and a 35-11 affair in 2014; both games were played at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.
Paul Bunyan Trophy History
• The Paul Bunyan Trophy dates back to 1953, when Michigan State entered the Big Ten Conference, and has become the cornerstone of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry since its inception.
• It was a donation by then-Michigan governor G. Mennen Williams; the Paul Bunyan Trophy stands nearly four feet tall.
• The wooden trophy depicts the figure of legendary folk hero Paul Bunyan astride an axe, with his feet planted over the state of Michigan. On each corner of the state lies a flag emblazoned with the Michigan 'M' or the Spartan 'S.' Each year the winner of the Michigan-Michigan State game is awarded ownership of the prize.
Greater Rushing Effort Key to Victory
• One of the major components to securing victory in the annual Michigan-Michigan State football game has been the ground game.
• The school that has won the running game battle has claimed wins in 43 of the last 47 contests.
• From 1969 through 1994 -- 26 consecutive games -- the winning team gained more yards on the ground.
• MSU put an end to the string by winning in 1995 despite being out-gained in the rushing department by the Wolverines 218 to 73.
• Michigan lost the rushing battle in 2007, 191-100, but came out on top in a 28-24 affair at Spartan Stadium.
U-M vs. MSU at the Big House
• This will be the 55th game between the two rivals at Michigan Stadium.
• The Wolverines have compiled a 34-18-3 record at Michigan Stadium, including a 12-10 victory in the 2012 meeting at the Big House.
• U-M has claimed victories in 11 of the last 14 games played at Michigan Stadium.
• The Wolverines boast an impressive 18-5 home record against the Spartans since 1968.
• Michigan sports a 49-20-3 all-time record against Michigan State in Ann Arbor.
When Both Teams are Ranked Nationally
• This will be the 17th time in history of series that both teams enter the game ranked in the national polls.
• The all-time series is 6-9-1 when both teams are listed in the polls.
• Michigan lost the last meeting when both squads were ranked, a 29-6 decision in East Lansing during the 2013 season (U-M #23, MSU #24).
• U-M won games in 1964, 1975, 1979, 1989, 1997, 2003 while Michigan State claimed victories in 1950, 1951, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1999, 2010, 2011, and 2013 seasons; the lone tie came in 1958.
Michigan When Ranked vs. MSU
• This will be the 50th time that Michigan enters a matchup with Michigan State ranked in the top 25 of the Associated Press national poll.
• The Wolverines have compiled a 30-18-1 record in those contests, but is 6-9-1 when both teams are ranked in the AP poll.
• U-M has won 28 of the past 41 games when it enters the game listed in the top 25.
Offense
• The offense has been balanced through five games, with the ground game gaining 201.3 yards per contest and the air attack averaging 189.2 yards per game.
• Michigan has gained 1,208 rushing yards on the season; rushed 253 times for 1,208 yards and 15 touchdowns.
• Seven different Wolverines have scored rushing touchdowns this season, led by tailback De'Veon Smith (4) and quarterback Jake Rudock (3); three others have two rushing scores.
• In the passing game, Michigan has completed 106-of-175 (60.6 pct.) attempts for 1,135 yards and five touchdowns.
• U-M has won the time-of-possession battle in each of the six contests this season and has nine-minute-plus advantage on the opposition (34:48 to 25:12).
• Michigan's offensive line has allowed eight sacks in six games. The front did not yield a sack at Utah or against UNLV and allowed one sack vs. Oregon State, two against BYU and Maryland and three vs. Northwestern.
• The offense has converted 19-of-20 red-zone chances this season. U-M has scored 15 touchdowns and four field goals.
• The Wolverines are converting 43 percent of their third-down chances (39-of-90) and have moved the chains on 4-of-10 fourth-down opportunities.
Defense
• Michigan is ranked in the top five nationally in six defensive categories.
• The defense has pitched a shutout in three consecutive games for the first time since the 1980 season; Michigan became the first FBS school to accomplish the feat since Kansas State shut out three straight opponents in 1995.
• U-M is just the fifth team ever to have multiple 28-point shutouts over AP ranked teams in a single season: 1945 Army, 1948 Michigan, 1956 Georgia Tech, 1966 Notre Dame and this year's teams are the only to accomplish the feat.
• Michigan is the first team since 2011 to hold two major conference/independent opponents to less than 110 total yards in a game.
• Michigan has held the opposition scoreless in 18 of the last 19 quarters.
• The defense has yielded just seven points over the last 19 quarters (TD by Oregon State).
• The U-M defense is allowing just 65 yards per contest rushing and 115.5 yards passing.
• The Wolverines have yielded 38 points on the season (6.3 avg.).
• Michigan has been stout on third down, allowing just 16 conversions in 85 attempts through three games (19%).
• The defense has 15 sacks and 48 TFLs through six games of action.
• Michigan has 18 different players with 10 or more stops this season.
• The Wolverines have forced eight turnovers on the season (seven interceptions and one fumble) and picked up a season-high three picks at Maryland.
• Michigan has allowed the opposition only six red-zone chances, with three coming in the Utah game, one against Oregon State and two by UNLV; two of the six red-zone opportunities came on the opening possession of the Utah and OSU games.
• The defense held the opposition to less than 100 rushing yards the past five games.
• The opposition has been limited to less than 50 yards rushing the past three games (50 yards by BYU, 29 by Maryland and 38 by Northwestern).
• The defense has held the opposition to less than 100 yards passing three times this season: 79 yards vs. Oregon State, 55 yards vs. BYU and 76 yards at Maryland.
