'Would've never happened': Former Michigan State RB on Devin Bush destroying Spartan logo

Chris Breiler | Aug 18, 2024

Michigan State running back LJ Scott runs against Michigan linebacker Devin Bush during the first half at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. 10202018 Msu1sthalf 9 / Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press

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The 2018 matchup between No. 6 Michigan and No. 24 Michigan State will always be remembered for one of the most legendary moments in the history of the in-state rivalry, and it occurred before kickoff. The incident began with the Spartans executed one of their pregame rituals where they would lock arms across the width of the field and walk from one end to the other. The problem, of course, is that there were already a number of Wolverines on the field going through their pregame routines as well. With neither side looking to avoid contact with the other, the pregame rituals nearly turned into an all-out brawl between members of the two rival programs.

When video of the incident recently surfaced on social media, former MSU running back Le'Veon Bell said that the it never would have happened if he was still in East Lansing.

would’ve NEVER happened when I was there .. on everything https://t.co/D4Jzu6IzdK
— Le'Veon Bell (@LeVeonBell) August 18, 2024

"Would've never happened when I was there," Bell wrote on Twitter. "On everything."

Although Bush's destruction of the Spartan logo on the 50-yard line got most of the attention following the incident, the Spartans certainly owned a big part of the pregame dust-up. Following the 21-7 win for the Wolverines, former U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh didn't mince words about his feelings on how it all went down.

“Apparently they clotheslined two of our guys, came out in their helmets," Harbaugh said. "Lawrence Marshall, they went up and clotheslined him, the old-fashioned clothesline. Other guys ripped off Lavert’s [Hill] headphones. Total bush league. Apparently, coach Dantonio was five yards behind them behind it all smiling, so yeah, I think it’s bush league, that’s my impression of it.”

Devin Bush clashes with Spartans ahead of 2018 matchup /

Reflecting back on the incident during a podcast appearance in 2022, former U-M edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson referred to it as a legendary moment in the rivalry.

“Dude, that moment is legendary," Hutchinson said. "I mean, only played one snap that 2018 Michigan-Michigan State game. But we didn’t really see it. I wasn’t out there pregame, so I didn’t really see it. But you check your phone game to change some music and I get this ESPN update that says, ‘Devin Bush, blah, blah, blah’ and I click on it, and I’m like, ‘did he just do that, in a rivalry game?’ You know how much pressure that adds? If we don’t win this game, we’re going to get trolled. I was watching it on my phone and was like, ‘we’ve got to win this damn game.’ We ended up holding them to under 100 yards of total offense, so I think we earned that one.”

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