Michigan State Is On The Clock

The Spartans have had a rough start to their 2022 season, but a win over Michigan would salvage everything.

It's not quite the matchup that most expected heading into the 2022 season. While the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines have certainly held up their end of the bargain by entering the bye-week at a perfect 7-0, the Michigan State Spartans (unranked) have stumbled their way to an awful 3-4 record - including three consecutive lopsided losses to Minnesota, Maryland and Ohio State. 

On paper, the Spartans don't appear to be much of a threat to the Wolverines when the two programs meet on Oct. 29. Here's how the Spartans stack up against the Wolverines in several key areas:

Total Defense

• Michigan: No. 4
• Michigan State: No. 103

Passing Defense

• Michigan: No. 9
• Michigan State: No. 107

Rushing Defense

• Michigan: No. 6
• Michigan State: No. 80

Total Offense

• Michigan: No. 22
• Michigan State: No. 103

Passing Offense

• Michigan: No. 76
• Michigan State: No. 66

Rushing Offense

• Michigan: No. 9
• Michigan State: No. 116

Although the numbers certainly lean heavily in Michigan's favor, the reality is that the Spartans have every intention of playing spoiler to the Wolverines championship hopes - and they have a track record of doing just that. In his first season as head coach of the Spartans, Mel Tucker walked into the Big House as a 21.5 point underdog and left with the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The following season, Tucker and the Spartans played the underdog role once again - and once again they knocked off the Wolverines. 

Michigan will likely enter the Oct. 29 matchup as a heavy favorite, and all signs point to a dominant and decisive victory for the Wolverines. The only question now is whether or not this Michigan team can get it done and keep the coveted Paul Bunyan trophy in Ann Arbor - where it belongs.