Pat Fitzgerald doesn’t need a crash course on what Michigan State-Michigan means. He’s been around Big Ten football long enough to know exactly how this one gets treated, and now he gets his first shot at living it from the Spartans’ sideline.
This year’s version of the rivalry looks different on paper. Both programs are under new leadership, with Fitzgerald at Michigan State and Kyle Whittingham at Michigan.
Neither team has exactly sprinted out of the gate, either, which leaves the matchup carrying a combined 7-9 record into Saturday. That’s not the kind of backdrop this game has usually had, but the edge and urgency that come with it still matter.
Fitzgerald made it clear Monday that he understands the weight of the week.
“This is a week that not only our players, our staff, but all of our fans, our alums, our former players circle,” Fitzgerald told local reporters on Monday.
He added that the meaning of the rivalry was obvious from the jump.
“From the minute I took the job, I think I was pretty clear that I understood what this rivalry meant. Being a Big Ten player and being a part of games that are big and important and significant and rivalry games in this league, I have a pretty firm understanding coming in. But once I landed here in December, it was pretty crystal clear exactly what this game means.”
Fitzgerald brings plenty of Big Ten history with him after coaching at Northwestern from 2006-2022, but this rivalry is still new territory for him. His record against Michigan is a rough one: 1-9, with the lone win coming in 2008.
Michigan State is walking into a tough spot. Michigan may be having a down year, but the Wolverines still bring one of the nation’s best defenses, and the crowd will not be on the Spartans’ side. Even so, Fitzgerald isn’t treating this like just another game on the schedule.
“We’re not going to shy away from where we want to be and what we want to do, and one of those things is to have Paul Bunyan always in our building, and right now it’s not,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re fully aware of that, and we know what we’re going to have to do to get ready, and that’s to prepare the best we’ve prepared all year.”
If Michigan State gets the job done, Paul Bunyan would head back to East Lansing for the first time since the Spartans’ 37-33 win in 2021.
Michigan, meanwhile, has to defend its home field and keep a difficult season from taking another bad turn. Michigan State has usually shown up ready for this rivalry no matter the records, and with Fitzgerald in charge, that figure should hold true again on Saturday.
In Other News...
Michigan Coach Just Made Bryce Underwood's Situation Even More Concerning
Tommy Carr is set to make his third straight start at quarterback for Michigan after Bryce Underwood was benched following a recent game filled with interceptions, a turn that has pushed the Wolverines into a more unsettled stretch under center. Underwood, still serving as a team captain, has spent the last few weeks backing up Carr from the sideline while dealing with a season marked by shaky passing accuracy and too many mistakes.
Quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer has spoken highly of Underwoods leadership and the way he has handled the demotion, but his comments also added another layer to the concern around the situation. Detmer said he wishes he had done a better job preparing Underwood for the season, a remark that underscores just how much Michigan is still trying to sort out at the position even as Carr takes another turn leading the offense. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's O-Line Problem Is Becoming A Real Concern For Bryce Underwood
Michigans offensive line has turned into one of the more persistent issues of the season, and the effects have shown up everywhere from the trenches to the scoreboard. Injuries and constant lineup shuffling have left the unit searching for stability, with junior Jake Guarnera the only lineman to start all eight games. For a team trying to establish itself on the ground, that kind of turnover has made it hard to build any rhythm.
The run game has taken the brunt of it, with Michigan sitting 97th in rushing offense and too often looking out of sync when it tries to lean on the line. Coach Kyle Whittingham and offensive line coach Jim Harding have both acknowledged the problem and are pushing to make the group more physical and efficient, but the bigger question is how quickly that can happen before the pressure starts to mount on Bryce Underwood and the offense around him. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Gets A Huge Boost For Its UConn Rematch Test
Michigans next big nonconference test comes with a familiar twist, as the Wolverines head to Bostons TD Garden for a national championship rematch with UConn. This time, though, they are expected to have Moustapha Thiam available after he missed the season opener because of illness, giving Michigan a major boost in the middle as it prepares for one of its toughest early-season challenges.
Thiams presence matters because of what he brings on both ends of the floor, from shot-blocking to the kind of offensive skill that can change how a game is played around the rim. Michigan should be close to full strength for the matchup, with the only notable absence being former coach Dusty May, now in the NBA, leaving the Wolverines to handle this one with a different sideline voice and a deeper frontcourt than they had a week ago. [Read more 🡒]