It is finally here, folks. The big one for bragging rights in the whole state of Michigan (at least until basketball season)! The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (7-0, 4-0) come back to East Lansing for the first time since 2018 to take on the No. 7/8 Michigan State Spartans (7-0, 4-0) in the annual battle for the Paul Bunyan – Governor of Michigan Trophy.

The Wolverines are more than halfway through year seven of the Jim Harbaugh era in Ann Arbor. The former quarterback for the Wolverines turned program savior in 2015 as he assumed the reins for the first season as head coach has struggled to live up to expectations, however. Harbaugh is currently 3-3 in the rivalry series with the wins coming in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Last year, first year Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker came into the Big House and became just the second Spartan head coach and third head coach overall in the history of the series to win the rivalry matchup in their first year at the helm. The stunning upset came when Michigan was ranked No. 13 in the nation as well. However, this time it is Harbaugh as the road team, and he holds a 2-0 record in East Lansing. Those two wins came in 2016 and 2018, the latter when the Spartans were ranked No. 24 at the time.

There is always a lot riding on this series, but this year there seems to be an extra assortment of storylines you can choose to focus on. Both teams are undefeated entering the rivalry game for the first time since 2010. This is also the first top-10 matchup between the programs since 1964. It will also mark just the fifth time the teams are both ranked in the top-10, and in such games, MSU holds a 3-1 record in to date. The Spartans are hoping to win again this year, which would make it the 10th victory in the last 14 matchups that Michigan State would emerge with a win. The Wolverines are likely looking for blood after the team’s cornerbacks were downright embarrassed in last season’s loss. However, this also marks Michigan’s first visit to East Lansing since the infamous temper tantrum of Devin Bush tearing up the Spartan helmet logo at midfield before the game following a pregame scuffle during warmups.

No matter which way it falls, though, at the end of the day, these two teams and fan bases just downright don’t like each other simply because they grew up sharing the special collection of two peninsulas they both call home. That is usually all it takes in the end to make this one a must-watch matchup, so with that, here is how you can do exactly that.

No. 6 Michigan Wolverines (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 7/8 Michigan State Spartans (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten)

Date: Saturday, Oct. 30
Kickoff: 12:05 p.m. EDT

MEDIA COVERAGE

TV: FOX
Web/Mobile: Foxsports.com/FOX Sports App
Play-by-Play: Gus Johnson
Analyst: Joel Klatt
Sideline: Jenny Taft

RADIO: Spartan Media Network
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sideline: Steve Courtney
Broadcast Host: Will Tieman
Website/Mobile: msuspartans.com/MSU Spartans app/Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 30 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: Ch. 136 (Sirius), Ch. 195 (XM), Ch. 957 (SiriusXM.com)
Pre-game Show: Begins at 10:30 a.m

Location: East Lansing, Michigan
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (74,866, down 139 seats from previous capacity)
Surface: Natural grass
All-Time Series: Michigan leads, 71-37-5
All-Time Series in East Lansing: Michigan leads, 21-14-2
Big Ten Games: Michigan leads, 38-28-2
Last Meeting: UM 24, MSU 27 (2020)
Current Series Streak: one by MSU (2020- )

COACHES:
MSU Head Coach: Mel Tucker
MSU Record: 9-5 (second year)
Overall Record: 14-12 (third year)
Record vs. UM: 1-0

Michigan Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh
Michigan Record: 56-22 (seventh year)
Overall Record: 114-49 (14^th year)
Record vs. MSU: 3-3

Don’t forget to follow along during the game with The Only Colors on Facebook and Twitter (@TheOnlyColors) all game long, and as always here on the website in our game thread.

Go Green!