State Championship: Blue vs Green Edition

The Rivalry is back this week and we’re fired up for it!

Written by

Patrick Duggan

Updated on

October 23, 2025 12:24 PM

State Championship: Blue vs Green Edition

The Paul Bunyan Trophy: Where Petty Meets Pretty (Uniforms)

Another year, another chance for Michigan and Michigan State to pretend they're not thinking about each other 365 days a year. Spoiler alert: they absolutely are.

This Saturday's clash isn't just a football game—it's a referendum on whether you prefer maize (not yellow, maize) or that forest green that somehow always photographs darker on TV. It's Ann Arbor's craft beer snobbery versus East Lansing's dive bar charm. It's "Go Blue" versus "Go Green," and honestly, both could use better material.

The Trophy That Launched A Thousand Eye Rolls

Let's talk about Paul Bunyan's trophy. It's a four-foot-tall wooden lumberjack that weighs 75 pounds and looks like something your uncle carved during a particularly enthusiastic mid-life crisis. The winning team gets to keep Big Paul for a year, and you better believe both sides treat it like the Stanley Cup. Michigan currently holds it after last year's 24-17 victory, which means Spartan fans have spent twelve months stewing about it. 

The series dates back to 1898, and Michigan leads 74-38-5 overall. Yes, Michigan fans, we know you've already screenshot that stat. But here's the thing: since 2008, this series has been surprisingly competitive, with MSU winning eight of those matchups. Mark Dantonio's "little brother" era may be over, but the chip on East Lansing's shoulder remains firmly in place, passed down like a family heirloom.

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Uniform Watch: Fashion Week in the Big Ten

Michigan's uniforms are classic—perhaps annoyingly so. Those iconic winged helmets haven't changed since 1938, and Wolverines fans will fight you if you suggest otherwise. "If it ain't broke," they'll say while adjusting their scarves in October. Meanwhile, the maize and blue combo remains one of college football's most recognizable looks, even if nobody can agree on what shade of yellow maize actually is.

Michigan State rocks the green and white with varying levels of success. When they nail it, they nail it—crisp, clean, intimidating. When they experiment (remember those neon numbers?), well, at least they tried. The Spartans have shown more willingness to mix things up, which either makes them bold innovators or victims of Nike's sample sale, depending on your perspective.

The Alumni Factor

Both schools produce insufferable alumni, just different flavors. Michigan grads will casually mention their degree approximately 47 times per conversation, usually while explaining why their opinion on literally anything matters more. They've got Tom Brady, Madonna, and James Earl Jones. They're not letting you forget it.

MSU alumni have Magic Johnson and a working-class pride that borders on weaponized. They're the ones who remember when Michigan fans called them "Moo U" and have been collecting receipts ever since. Both fan bases peak around Thanksgiving, which says something about their priorities (football) and their therapy needs (significant).

What's Actually at Stake

Beyond bragging rights and Paul Bunyan's magnificent wooden abs, this game shapes bowl positioning, recruiting momentum, and most importantly, who has to endure their insufferable coworkers for the next twelve months.

Will Michigan's superior talent and resources prevail? Will Michigan State's perpetual underdog energy fuel another upset? Will both fan bases overreact regardless of the outcome? Yes, yes, and absolutely yes.

One thing's certain: come Saturday, the only thing more intense than the game will be the passive-aggressive social media posts that follow. And honestly? That's what makes this rivalry beautiful.

Go... well, you know what you're supposed to say. Just say it louder than the other guy.