Michigan Football: A successful season means beating Michigan State

In order for the Michigan football team to view this season as a success, the Wolverines have to beat Michigan State.

It would be easy for Michigan football to revel in the glory of its 38-13 thrashing of Wisconsin last Saturday night. But it shouldn’t, because Saturday in East Lansing, the Wolverines will face an even more important task — beating Michigan State.

Don’t get me wrong, watching the Wolverines destroy Wisconsin was plenty satisfying. Michigan football proved it could not only beat a good team, but it could also dominate one. Jim Harbaugh silenced his critics — for a few days at least — and UM surged in the polls.

Suddenly, people seem to believe in Michigan again. The offensive line isn’t a failure anymore, the quarterback, Shea Patterson, is excellent, the defense is great and Karan Higdon is a beast. In short, this Michigan team is for real. But unless the Wolverines beat the Spartans this week, it won’t really matter.

Obviously, Michigan will still have plenty to play for if it drops this game, but in my eyes, it will be hard to call the season a success without a win over Michigan State. Beating Ohio State or winning a Big Ten championship could rectify that, yet outside of that, losing to the Spartans will be the ultimate buzzkill for a season that is now filled with promise.

Michigan Wolverines

And let’s be honest, wouldn’t winning the Big Ten without beating Michigan State still feeling just a little empty?

If the Wolverines can win this game, not only will they put themselves in a great position in the Big Ten East, they can finally dispel the notion that they can’t win rivalry games. More than that though, Michigan football can start to turn the tide in the state. They can turn the Spartans back into the little brother again.

Obviously, Michigan fans want the Wolverines to catch and surpass Ohio State. That’s the ultimate goal of the program, or at least it should be. But before that happens, Michigan needs to conquer Michigan State and even Penn State.

More than that though, the Wolverines need to turn this series with Michigan State around. The Spartans have dominated under Mark Dantonio and to see him win two of the first three games against Harbaugh, was a tough pill to swallow. Watching Michigan lose a third in four years under would be even tougher.

It would also make last week’s win against Wisconsin feel meaningless or at least less meaningful. All the questions about winning big games and beating rivals would return. And the Spartans would get to gloat for another year, something Michigan fans have had to endure way too much over the last decade.

I am not sure if this Michigan football team is good enough to beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten or make the College Football Playoff. But I do know the Wolverines are good enough to beat Michigan State, which is why beating the Spartans is a must.

It’s also why it will be hard to view 2018 as a success without a win over Michigan State.