Sports

UM Wolverines vs. MSU Spartans: A Look at This Michigan Football Rivalry

Oct 16, 2026
Dominic LoBianco

Update (October 16, 2026): This article has been updated with the latest information about the Michigan vs. Michigan State college football rivalry.

When Do the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans Play Next?

The 2026 game between both teams is on Saturday, November 7 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Other upcoming game information can be found below. Michigan Wolverines football tickets and Michigan State Spartans football tickets can be found on their respective team pages.

Loading Events

Are the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans Rivals?

Yes, the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans are in-state Big Ten rivals and the winner of the annual rivalry game takes home the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

Who Are the Michigan Wolverines’ Biggest Rivals?

The Michigan Wolverines have three rivalries within the Big Ten conference: “The Game” played annually against Ohio State, a game for the Paul Bunyan trophy against Michigan State, and a game for the Little Brown Jug trophy against Minnesota.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Michigan Football (@umichfootball)

Who are the Michigan State Spartans’ Biggest Rivals?

The Michigan State Spartans also have three rivals within the Big Ten conference: the Indiana Hoosiers, the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan State also shares a rivalry against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Game Results Between the Wolverines & Spartans

DateHome TeamAway TeamLocationWinnerScore
10/25/2025Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines31-20
10/26/2024MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines24-17
10/21/2023Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines49-0
10/29/2022MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines29-7
10/30/2021Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans37-33
10/31/2020MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans27-24
11/16/2019MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines44-10
10/20/2018Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines21-7
10/07/2017MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans14-10
10/29/2016Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines32-23
10/17/2015MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans27-23
10/25/2014Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans35-11
11/02/2013Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans29-6
10/20/2012MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines12-10
10/15/2011Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans28-14
10/09/2010MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans34-17
10/03/2009Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans26-20
10/25/2008MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans35-21
11/03/2007Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines28-24
10/07/2006MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines31-13
10/01/2005Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines34-31
10/30/2004MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines45-37
11/01/2003Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines27-20
11/02/2002MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines49-3
11/03/2001Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans26-24
10/21/2000MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines14-0
10/09/1999Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans34-31
09/26/1998MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines29-17
10/25/1997Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines23-7
11/02/1996MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines45-29
11/04/1995Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans28-25
10/08/1994MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines40-20
10/09/1993Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans17-7
10/10/1992MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines35-10
10/12/1991Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines45-28
10/13/1990MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans28-27
10/14/1989Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines10-7
10/08/1988MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines17-3
10/10/1987Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans17-11
10/11/1986MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines27-6
10/12/1985Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines31-0
10/06/1984MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans19-7
10/08/1983Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines42-0
10/09/1982MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines31-17
10/10/1981Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines38-20
10/11/1980MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines27-23
10/06/1979Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines21-7
10/14/1978MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans24-15
10/08/1977Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines24-14
10/09/1976MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines42-10
10/11/1975Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines16-6
10/12/1974MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines21-7
10/13/1973Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines31-0
10/14/1972MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines10-0
10/09/1971Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines24-13
10/17/1970MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines34-20
10/18/1969Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans23-12
10/12/1968MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines28-14
10/14/1967MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans34-0
10/08/1966Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans20-7
10/09/1965MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans24-7
10/10/1964Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines17-10
10/12/1963MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumTie7-7
10/13/1962Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans28-0
10/14/1961MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans28-0
10/01/1960Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans24-17
10/03/1959MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans34-8
10/04/1958Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumTie12-12
10/12/1957MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans35-6
10/06/1956MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans9-0
10/01/1955MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines14-7
11/13/1954MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines33-7
11/14/1953Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumSpartans14-6
09/27/1952MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans27-13
09/29/1951MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans25-0
09/30/1950MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans14-7
09/24/1949MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines7-3
09/25/1948Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines13-7
09/27/1947MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines55-0
11/09/1946MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines55-7
09/29/1945MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines40-0
10/03/1942MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines20-0
09/27/1941MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines19-7
10/05/1940MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines21-14
10/07/1939MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines26-13
10/01/1938MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines14-0
10/02/1937MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans19-14
10/03/1936MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans21-7
10/05/1935MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans25-6
10/06/1934MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumSpartans16-0
10/07/1933MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines20-6
10/01/1932MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines26-0
11/14/1931MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumTie0-0
10/04/1930MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumTie0-0
10/05/1929MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines17-0
11/17/1928MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines3-0
10/08/1927MichiganMichigan StateMichigan StadiumWolverines21-0
10/09/1926MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines55-3
10/03/1925MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines39-0
10/11/1924Michigan StateMichiganSpartan StadiumWolverines7-0
10/27/1923MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines37-0
11/04/1922MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines63-0
10/15/1921MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines30-0
10/16/1920MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines35-0
10/18/1919MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines26-0
11/23/1918MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines21-6
10/20/1917MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines27-0
10/21/1916MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines9-0
10/23/1915MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldSpartans24-0
10/17/1914Michigan StateMichiganOld College FieldWolverines3-0
10/18/1913MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldSpartans12-7
10/12/1912MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines55-7
10/14/1911Michigan StateMichiganOld College FieldWolverines15-3
10/15/1910MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines6-3
10/10/1908Michigan StateMichiganOld College FieldTie0-0
10/12/1907MichiganMichigan StateFerry FieldWolverines46-0
10/08/1902MichiganMichigan StateRegents FieldWolverines119-0
10/12/1898MichiganMichigan StateRegents FieldWolverines39-0

Michigan Wolverines vs. Michigan State Spartans Series History

The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry dates back more than 125 years. Since 1898, the Spartans and Wolverines have played each other 118 times, with Michigan leading the head-to-head 75-38-5. The Wolverines also have the longest win streak at 14 games and have won the past four meetings dating back to 2022.

In what was arguably the most iconic game of 2015, simply referenced by the television call, “Trouble with the snap,” in October, the 12th-ranked Wolverines, led by first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh, led the undefeated and 7th-ranked Spartans 23-21. With the ball over midfield, the Wolverines elected to punt.

Head coach Mark Dantonio sent all 11 defenders to cover the punt. Michigan punter Blake O’Neill bobbled the low snap and the ball was run back 38 yards and scored by Michigan State special teams player Jalen Watts-Jackson as time expired. Michigan State did not lead at any point in the game until the clock hit 0:00, and won 27-23.

The two teams have had success both historically and recently. Both Michigan State and Michigan have made College Football Playoff appearances, and they have a combined 18 national championships. Michigan State won the Big Ten Championship and made the College Football Playoff in 2015, while Michigan made three straight College Football Playoff appearances from 2021 to 2023, winning the national title in 2023.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Big Ten Network (@bigtennetwork)

The Paul Bunyan Trophy

The Paul Bunyan Governor’s Trophy first made an appearance in 1953 as a welcome offering to Michigan State when they joined the Big Ten Conference. The statue is a four-foot-tall painted-wood carving made in the image of local folk hero Paul Bunyan. The trophy is made of wood as a nod to Michigan’s history of being a top timber-producing area in the United States.

Where Do the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans Play?

The Michigan Wolverines play at Michigan Stadium, nicknamed “The Big House.” The Big House is the largest stadium in the United States and the third-largest stadium in the world, with an official capacity of 107,601.

Michigan State plays at Spartan Stadium, formerly called College Field, Macklin Field and Macklin Stadium. The stadium opened in 1923 and has a formal capacity of 74,866.

Loading Events

Tags

You Might Like

Sports

College Football’s Greatest Rivalries: History, Traditions and Intensity

Update (October 19, 2026): This article has been updated with the rivalry game details for the 2026 NCAAF season. College football is never short on big game...

Sports

Longhorns vs. Horned Frogs: a Look at This Texas Football Rivalry

The Texas Longhorns and TCU Horned Frogs have a geographic, conference rivalry in the Big XII. Because of the close proximity between campuses, 186 miles, th...

Sports

LSU vs. Texas A&M: A Heated SEC Rivalry

Update (October 16, 2026): This article has been updated with the latest information about the LSU vs. Texas A&M college football rivalry. When Do the LS...

More NCAAF