Michigan football entered 2024 with the idea that despite all of the personnel losses and coaching turnover it was still going to be able to get into the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Michigan State, on the other hand, was in full rebuild mode, with a new head coach in Jonathan Smith taking over a Spartan squad that didn’t make a bowl game last year.
However, even as both teams have struggled, MSU has more of an identity and has leaned into it as weeks have passed. Michigan, on the other hand, has fallen off more lately, as it works to figure out how to run any kind of effective offense. Both rivals enter Saturday’s game at 4-3 on the season.
But how do they match up on either side of the ball, at least in terms of stats? Let’s take a look at the stats and rankings to see how each rival matches up against the other.
Without further ado, here are the numbers.
Michigan offense, MSU defense, by the numbers
| Michigan offense (rank) | MSU defense (rank) | |
| Passing | 128.3 yards/game (130) | 192 yards/game allowed (31) |
| Rushing | 180.29 yards/game (45) | 131.14 yards/game allowed (53) |
| Scoring | 21.1 points/game (112) | 20.9 points/game allowed (39) |
| Total | 308.6 yards/game (118) | 323.1 yards/game allowed (29) |
| First downs | 16.4 first downs/game (120) | 18 first downs/game allowed (37) |
| Third down conversions | 38.46% (84) | 43.16% allowed (110) |
| Red zone conversions | 78.57% (98), TD: 63.29% (63) | 72.73% allowed (15), TD: 63.64% allowed (90) |
| Tackles for loss | 34 allowed (44) | 42 (51) |
| Sacks | 13 allowed (60) | 15 (53) |
MSU offense, Michigan defense, by the numbers
| MSU offense (rank) | Michigan defense (rank) | |
| Passing | 233.4 yards/game (67) | 234.1 yards/game allowed (97) |
| Rushing | 133.29 yards/game (90) | 92.14 yards/game allowed (9) |
| Scoring | 21.6 points/game (110) | 22.1 points/game allowed (50) |
| Total | 366.7 yards/game (91) | 326.3 yards/game allowed (34) |
| First downs | 20 first downs/game (83) | 18.9 first downs/game allowed (60) |
| Third down conversions | 40.7% (57) | 39.22% allowed (76) |
| Red zone conversions | 73.08% (123), TD: 38.46% (131) | 81.48% allowed (55), TD: 55.56% allowed (49) |
| Tackles for loss | 40 allowed (77) | 44 (44) |
| Sacks | 17 allowed (91) | 28 (18) |
Also, according to ESPN SP+, Michigan has the No. 24 team overall, the No. 74 offense and No. 10 defense. MSU has the No. 72 team, the No. 101 offense, and the No. 29 defense.
The Wolverines and Spartans will play on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at The Big House at 7:30 p.m. EDT.