Michigan football: Wolverines must do more than squeak by MSU

Michigan football is in really good shape right now. The Wolverines are heading into the Michigan State game with a 7-0 record, and are coming off the heels of a 41-17 win over No. 10 Penn State. This weekend’s game has major implications for Harbaugh and his team and seeing as MSU is in a down year, the Wolverines need to do more than just beat the Spartans.

Since arriving in Ann Arbor, Jim Harbaugh has completely turned around the Michigan football program. The Wolverines were a combined 46-42 under its previous two head coaches, with one 10-win season between them (2011). Under Harbaugh, Michigan is averaging 10 wins per season and is now looking to take the step from great to elite.

Yet one thing has always troubled Harbaugh’s teams at Michigan: Michigan State. It is one thing to lose to Ohio State most seasons; after all, the Buckeyes have been an elite program for the better part of 20 years now. Michigan State, however, is not of that caliber, yet seems to have Michigan’s number as of late.

2022 will mark the eighth-straight time that Michigan has come into the Michigan State game as the betting favorite, yet the Wolverines are 3-4 against the Spartans under Harbaugh. Every decent Michigan State team (2015, 2017, and 2021) has beaten Michigan, not to mention Mel Tucker’s 2-5 team that won in the Big House during the Covid season.

Blame what you may, but I would say that this is a little embarrassing for Michigan. 2016 was likely Michigan State’s worst team in recent history — MSU finished 3-9 — yet Harbaugh’s 10-2 Wolverines only managed to win by nine (which was assisted by a late-game two-point conversion fail).

The only time Michigan has looked dominant against Michigan State was in 2019 when the Wolverines beat the Spartans 44-10. You could argue that 2018’s 21-7 win was also impressive, but in both cases, Michigan was facing an outmatched 7-6 Michigan State squad.

This year is different though — it has to be. Michigan is the reigning Big Ten champions and only lost one regular season game last year… I bet you can guess who the loss was to. Michigan is now 7-0, meanwhile, Michigan State has stumbled into a 3-4 record.

The Spartans have lost by double-digits to everyone with a pulse thus far, and Michigan is coming off of a massive win over a top-10 team. To pile on, the game will be under the lights in the Big House.

Yes, a win of any kind would be nice, but Michigan needs to make a statement. Mel Tucker has beaten Jim Harbaugh twice now with outmatched Michigan State teams, and this year is looking like one of Michigan’s best teams in a long time.

Both squads will come ready to play, but a small win isn’t enough. This needs to be a statement game — a game that Michigan is able to put in the backups by the 3rd quarter and still win by 30.

Harbaugh consistently beats Penn State and Wisconsin, has his College Football Playoff appearance, has his win over Ohio State, and brought Michigan football another Big Ten title.

All of the boxes are checked right now, except for being able to beat Michigan State year in and year out, and that needs to change.