Bitter Rivalry is Better
Michigan and Michigan
State showed on Saturday
why their rivalry is the best,
most entertaining one either
program has going.
» Page 2B
In-state Split
The Wolverines beat
Western Michigan on Friday
then fell to the Broncos on
Saturday.
» Page 4B
SPORTSMONDAY
The Michigan Daily | michigandaily.com | October 22, 2018
Design by Jack Silberman
Katelyn Mulcahy & Alexis Rankin/ Daily
Michigan holds on for big win against in-state rival
EAST LANSING — No. 24
Michigan State had many of the
requisite elements to upset the
No.6 Michigan football team
in crushing, season-tarnishing
fashion. Turnovers, poor weather
and missed opportunities
threatened to prevent the
Wolverines from delivering their
dagger — just as they had in
previous years.W
For a moment Saturday, it
looked like Michigan State could
retain the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
But two second-half touchdowns
were enough to lift Michigan over
the Spartans, 21-7, in East Lansing
on Saturday, in the 950th win in
program history.
Senior running back Karan
Higdon, on a rain-drenched
field, slipped and relinquished
Michigan’s second fumble of the
third quarter with the score tied
at seven. Despite the Wolverines’
seeming control of the game,
momentum flipped the Spartans’
way.
Feeling the weight of the
moment, junior quarterback Shea
Patterson snuck into the defensive
huddle before the ensuing drive.
“(He said), ‘Y’all keep doing
your thing. Let’s get the ball back,
we’re gonna score,’ ” said junior
linebacker Devin Bush.
The defense did just that —
the fourth of six occasions the
Spartans went three-and-out —
before Patterson took things into
his own hands.
Towards the end of the third
quarter, Patterson completed to
sophomore receiver Donovan
Peoples-Jones in-stride, who
went the distance for a 79-yard,
go-ahead touchdown.
“The throw to Donovan was
right on the money,” said coach
Jim Harbaugh. “Donovan did a
great job at the line of scrimmage
against press coverage and
created the space. And (he)
created more space after the
release, made a fabulous over the
shoulder catch.”
After another Michigan State
three-and-out, the Wolverines
were faced with a fourth-and-two
in Spartan territory. When the
defense collapsed on sophomore
fullback Ben Mason, Patterson
tucked it away and picked up
the conversion with an 11-yard
scamper.
It proved to be critical.
Michigan made it 21-7 soon after
with a Mason five-yard scoring
run.
Dagger delivered indeed.
“We’ve been a really good
third-quarter team and fourth-
quarter team,” Harbaugh said.
“Guys are playing hard and smart
the entire ball game. I think we’re
a well-conditioned team, we’re a
smart team. I think all that factors
into it.”
The contest didn’t go without
its usual rivalry drama, however.
Up 7-0 early in the third
quarter, junior running back
Chris Evans fumbled on
Michigan’s seven-yard line.
The turnover prompted
Michigan State’s infamous
trickery. Off a double reverse,
receiver Darrell Stewart
completed to quarterback Brian
Lewerke to tie the game.
But the Spartans’ poor passing
attack rendered their offense
disjointed and unable to further
take advantage. Michigan State
gained just 94 yards the whole
game and was 0-for-12 on 3rd
down. Lewerke, pulled in the
fourth quarter, finished an
abysmal 5-for-25 passing.
“Those are the kinds of
statistics you dream (of),”
Harbaugh said. “That was a
dream game.”
Ten minutes of gameplay in,
inclement weather delayed the
contest an hour-and-15 minutes.
Michigan continued its first
scoring drive when play resumed.
On third down near mid-field,
Patterson attempted to thread the
needle to senior receiver Grant
Perry, but the pass was deflected.
With Spartans swarming for the
interception, it was sophomore
wide receiver Nico Collins who
corralled the ball for a first
down. Five runs and a 25-yard
completion to junior tight end
Nick Eubanks later, Patterson
found Collins — cleanly — for a
six-yard touchdown pass.
But, spectacularly, that was
the Wolverines’ only score of the
first half.
Michigan dominated the field
position battle while stifling
the Spartans’ offense, starting
four-straight drives in opposing
territory during the second
quarter. But it translated into zero
points.
Unable to move the ball, the
Wolverines elected to punt
from inside Michigan State’s
40-yard line on three consecutive
possessions. And when Quinn
Nordin finally got to test the
rain-drenched field, the redshirt
sophomore placekicker shanked a
36-yard attempt.
Despite a total yardage
advantage of 170 to 49, Michigan
took just a 7-0 advantage into
halftime. But even with the
momentum teetering back-and-
forth during the second half, the
Wolverines found their way to a
needed victory.
“It’s a message to other teams
that we ain’t coming to play,”
Bush said. “We’re coming to
handle business.”
MARK CALCAGNO
Daily Sports Editor
FINAL FROM EAST LANSING