This Week in Michigan Football: U-M at Michigan State
10/24/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 24, 2016
#2 Michigan at Michigan State
Saturday, Oct. 29 • Noon EDT
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan
Monday Schedule
Noon -- Weekly Press Conference
• Watch below
7 p.m. -- Inside Michigan Football Radio Show
Live from Pizza House in Ann Arbor
• Listen Live 
In the Polls
• Michigan: No. 2 AP, No. 2 Coaches
• Michigan State: Not ranked
• Week 9 Rankings
Monday Press Conference
Coach Jim Harbaugh
Players
Game Notes
Quick Hits
• U-M seeks its 69th victory in 109 meetings with MSU (68-35-5).
• Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the polls for the first time since 2006.
• The defense leads the country in five defensive categories and lists in the top four of 10 overall statistics.
• U-M is averaging 257.1 rushing yards and 225.9 passing yards.
• Fullback Khalid Hill leads U-M with nine TDs (8 rushing, 1 receiving).
• Cornerback Channing Stribling is 12th nationally in PBUs (1.4 avg.).
Michigan at Spartan Stadium
• The Wolverines have compiled a 19-14-2 record on the road against the Spartans, including a 17-14-2 mark at Spartan Stadium.
Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy
• The game will be the 64th meeting for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Since the battle for the trophy began in 1953 with Michigan State's inception into the Big Ten, Michigan holds a 35-26-2 advantage in the series and quest for the coveted trophy.
1,300th Game in School History
• Saturday's game at Michigan State will be the 1,300th in the 137-year history of the University of Michigan football program.
• Michigan has compiled an NCAA-leading 932 victories; 932-331-26 all-time record.
• The Wolverines picked up their 900th victory in school history with a 12-10 victory against Michigan State on Oct. 20, 2012.
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 71 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 109th meeting in the all-time series with Michigan State.
• The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 68-35-5, and have won 23 of the last 37 games played between the two schools dating back to 1979.
• U-M has compiled a 31-15 mark against MSU since 1970, with winning streaks of eight games (1970-77) and six games (2002-07) during that stretch of 46 games.
• After losing his first game against the Spartans in 1969, head coach Bo Schembechler won 13 of his next 14 games in the series and posted a 17-4 series record during his tenure at U-M.
• Michigan has won four of the last 10 games in the series; the last win came in 2012, a 12-10 affair at Michigan Stadium.
• The last game in the series was played at Michigan Stadium, as the Wolverines saw a win slip away in the final seconds of the game when Michigan State recovered a fumbled snap and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.
64th Battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy
• The game between the in-state rivals will be the 64th played for the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
• The Wolverines hold a 35-26-2 advantage in the trophy game.
• Michigan State has won seven of the past eight games played in the series and has held possession of the Bunyan Trophy for the past three seasons.
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.
U-M vs. MSU at Spartan Stadium
• Michigan sports a 19-14-2 all-time record against Michigan State in East Lansing, including a 17-11-1 mark at Spartan Stadium.
• This will be Jim Harbaugh's first appearance at Spartan Stadium as a head coach.
• U-M looks to end a four-game losing streak against MSU at Spartan Stadium.
• Michigan has a 4-6 record against MSU in the last 10 games played at Spartan Stadium.
• This will be the 26th time that Michigan enters East Lansing ranked in the top 25 of the AP poll, with the Wolverines holding a 14-10-1 mark.
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.
• 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 28-24 at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan When Ranked vs. MSU
• This will be the 51st 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 30-19-1 record in those contests but is 6-10-1 when both teams are ranked in the AP poll.
• U-M has won 28 of the past 42 games when it enters the game listed in the top 25.
Big Ten Conference Season
• U-M is looking for its first 4-0 start in Big Ten play since 2007; started 6-0 before losing its final two conference games.
• U-M has compiled a 494-200-18 record all-time in conference action, tops in Big Ten history.
• Michigan has a 9-2 mark in Big Ten action under second-year head coach Jim Harbaugh.
