Tag: msu spartans

Report: MSU considered canceling Michigan game due to NCAA investigation

Wanna hear a funny joke? Michigan State. That’s the joke. #GoBlue

What’s been a weird past few days continues to grow weirder.

Michigan football is under (a very public) investigation as the NCAA leaked info to the media about the Wolverines allegedly stealing signs from its opponents.

The practice itself isn’t illegal, but the NCAA is alleging Michigan sent staffers to games of future opponents, which is illegal, and is also investigating staffer Connor Stalions as a person of interest, noting that his computer is of particular intrigue to the governing body.

Apparently, after sharing the investigation with the Big Ten, the conference let Michigan’s next opponent, Michigan State, know that the Wolverines are under investigation. And that’s when things get weird.

According to The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn (subscription required), MSU considered canceling Saturday night’s game in light of the new information.

Upon learning of the pending investigation, Michigan State initially warned the Big Ten it might consider not playing Saturday’s game out of concern for health and safety for its players, according to two sources briefed on those conversations. On Thursday morning, MSU confirmed it will play the game. Michigan’s upcoming opponents were notified of the allegations and games are expected to take place as planned, an industry source said Thursday.

Let’s be clear here: That would have just been a cop-out. Every team in college football is at least attempting to steal signs — it’s part of the game. As we’ve reported, quite frequently, on the “Locked On Wolverines” podcast, Michigan’s defensive signs were well-known by opponents dating to 2018 — which became even clearer in 2019 and 2020. Michigan doesn’t need MSU’s signals in order to line up across from it to be able win on a down-by-down basis.

What MSU was really considering was this: could it get out of what’s expected to be a drubbing in front of what’s likely to be an embarrassing display of Michigan fans taking over Spartan Stadium and get away with it?

Checking the history of Michigan football vs. MSU rivalry

Maybe not on paper, but this is a huge game. #GoBlue

Saturday kicks off one of the most tenacious and bitter rivalries in all of American sports. A local fued fueled by pride and envy that may have grown too big for it’s boots in recent years.

Of course, the Wolverines have historically dominated the rivalry against the Spartans. The all-time record is 72-38-5, with Michigan holding the current streak at just one game. However, last year’s dominant victory holds the scar of a post-game conflict that left two Michigan players injured and a beam of reflection cast upon the intensity of the conflict.

The events in the tunnel at The Big House aren’t the only thing giving this game a different spin. Michigan State is in the midst of firing their former head coach for cause, giving the program a different set of priorities as their team struggles through the season.

The tunnel and Tucker situations may have the fans checking their notes, but rest assured that both staffs and rosters are absolutely locked in. The Wolverines are ranked No. 2 in the country and are in hot pursuit of a national title. Michigan State? It’s been a rough season. The Spartans are 2-4 and currenly sit in the basement at sixth in the East half of the conference. This does mean, however, that they have nothing to lose. Expect MSU to throw the book at Michigan. With the Spartans trending away from a bowl game, this is likely their only chance to make this season memorable.

What does that mean for Michigan? Be disciplined. The Wolverines have the clearly better roster and coaching staff, so a win will come naturally unless the team gets out of focus. Run the ball, cut down on penalties, and play hard defense. That is the Michigan key to a win.

On paper, this game should be a blowout. Rivalry games tend to end up close to matter what, but I’m going to side with a strong Michigan victory here. I’ll take the Wolverines by a score of 30-10, marking their smallest margin of victory this season.

Jim Harbaugh on Michigan State: ‘I think it’s a tough team’

Is it a tough team though? #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s been an odd season for Michigan State. The Spartans entered the year expecting more of a redux of 2021 than 2022, but after winning their first two games, head coach Mel Tucker was suspended indefinitely (and was later fired), and MSU found itself floundering against Washington and Maryland in Weeks 3 and 4.

However, interim head coach Harlan Barnett hasn’t let Michigan State give up. Though the Spartans have continued losing, they should have won at Iowa and Rutgers in Weeks 5 and 7, respectively. However, MSU, as tough as it’s played, has given up late leads in each of its last two games.

Regardless of the four-straight losses, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh expects a tough matchup on Saturday when the Wolverines head to East Lansing.

“Super tough. Evidence, this past week — I think it’s a tough team,” Harbaugh said. “I think Coach Barnett’s got them playing really well and got them on the move.

“And it’s for the state championship game. We expect one heck of a football game and get prepared for it.”

After breaking in Noah Kim as the team’s quarterback in the first five games, MSU made a switch to second-year QB Katin Houser against Rutgers. He went 18-for-29 for 133 yards and two touchdowns against the Scarlet Knights.

In terms of for MSU, Harbaugh likes what he’s seen from the young signal caller and feels like Michigan will have its hands full with the rising redshirt freshman.

“He does some really good things. I was impressed,” Harbaugh said. “And a very young guy making his first start. It was a most impressive performance.”

When it comes to this game, anything can happen. And the Spartans have tended to be tough, even in bad years. But last season, they chose to be tough after the game, with multiple players ganging up on two Wolverines in the Michigan Stadium tunnel.

Though that could be used as a talking point this year, with some kind of revenge factor, Harbaugh isn’t biting. He says that’s not really rivalry fodder for this upcoming game, and is choosing to leave that incident in the past.

“That seems like a long time ago,” Harbaugh said. “I like what J.J. said last week — it’s a goldfish mentality. So, it’s onward.”

Michigan at Michigan State will take place on Saturday night in East Lansing, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT on NBC.

Michigan football turns focus to MSU, but not focused on tunnel incident

Maturity from #Michigan, not surprised. #GoBlue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Now that Indiana has been vanquished, Michigan football can officially turn its focus to a rivalry game, one it’s certainly been looking forward to for nearly a year.

The Wolverines beat in-state rival Michigan State, 29-7, last year, but the postgame felt like a loss after two players were accosted in the stadium tunnel following the game. While that will certainly be a storyline all week for both sides, along with the sudden firing of MSU head coach Mel Tucker a few weeks ago, the current Wolverines are worried about just one thing: winning the game and retaining the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

“Just treat it like any other game, honestly,” sixth-year linebacker Michael Barrett said. “Prepare the same way we prepare every week. It’s that week now so we can finally start looking into them. But we kind of treat everybody the same — nameless, faceless opponents. We just prepare the same way each week prepare as hard as we can just go from there.

“But like just showing, telling all the younger guys, just gonna prepare because like it’s a rivalry game, right? These games always gonna be tough, always gonna be gritty. Probably going to end up raining, be like a tsunami or something like that. You never know with this kind of game. So just kind of get to prepare for anything, just getting ready.”

Has Michigan been particularly champing at the bit to play the Spartans to avenge what happened in the aftermath of last year’s game?

Senior wide receiver Roman Wilson says no, that the team isn’t thinking about last year, it’s focused solely on perfection this year. If the maize and blue prepare as they have all year long and play similarly, they’ll get the win, which is what matters most.

“Me personally, I don’t think so,” Wilson said. ” They’re always going to come in here, no matter where we’re at. They’re going to try to kick our (expletive deleted), you gotta have that same energy every time. It doesn’t matter what happens after the game, before the game. All that matters is what happens when we step on that field. So no, it doesn’t bother me at all.”

Entering the game, Michigan is undefeated at 7-0 while Michigan State is 2-4 after losing to Rutgers in dramatic fashion in Week 7. The game will take place at Spartan Stadium where Jim Harbaugh is 2-1, and kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on NBC.

Michigan football at Michigan State time, channel revealed

So it begins. #GoBlue

It’s going to be a wild one, that’s for sure.

Back at Big Ten media days, Action Network college football insider Brett McMurphy reported the game wishlist for incoming conference broadcaster NBC, noting that the network (which picked games behind Fox) would like to choose Michigan football at Michigan State on Oct. 21 and make it a night game. On Monday, we now know that will be a reality, with the announcement that the Wolverines and Spartans will play at night at Spartan Stadium for the first time. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on NBC.

Michigan football has hosted two games vs. MSU at night but has not played a true night game in East Lansing before. This will be the third night game of the season and second on NBC.

Preaching respect for rival MSU, Jim Harbaugh says ‘it’s unknowable’ if feeling is reciprocated

Because it isn’t reciprocated.

INDIANAPOLIS — While the bulk of questions flying at Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh were about NCAA violations, his players, and the Ohio State rivalry, the Michigan State rivalry has made news over the course of Big Ten media days.

On Wednesday, MSU head coach Mel Tucker amplified the tensions between the rival in-state programs, when he was asked if the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy needed to be reined in. His answer indicated, no — the burgeoning animosity of the status quo is suitable to him.

“How do you rein it in? I don’t know how you do that,” Tucker said. “There’s not a day that has gone by that I haven’t heard something about that game. I mean, every day of my life, I hear about that game. So I don’t know how you rein that in. It just is what it is.”

He continued, “No, that’s never gonna happen. That’s not even a reality. So why would we want to do that?”

Well, the reason why is because two Michigan football players were jumped in the stadium tunnel after the game.

Jim Harbaugh’s approach is more traditional. He considers the rivalry sacrosanct like Tucker, but he envisions it as one that’s built on respect and competition.

“I mean, the goal is mutual respect,” Harbaugh said. “Tremendous competition. And that’s what we’re striving for.

“Yes, we have that for Michigan State. Mutual respect and it is great competition.”

OK, that’s how he feels. But when presented with Tucker’s opinion about the rivalry not needing to be reined in, he reiterated the need for respect between the programs. When it comes to the MSU side of the table, he isn’t sure whether or not the Spartans feel the same of the Wolverines.

“That’s unknowable for me to know that.”

Harbaugh was asked if he’s spoken to Tucker since the tunnel accosting, and he says that the two Big Ten East coaches have not spoken since.

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It doesn’t appear Mel Tucker has any intention of toning down MSU-Michigan rhetoric

Not inspiring confidence that there won’t be repeat extracurriculars this year.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry went from fun, to hated, to heated, to outright and downright violent.

The annual in-state contest took a dark turn, first when Mark Dantonio took over the program in 2007. When the Wolverines had a comeback victory, Mike Hart famously referred to the Spartans as ‘little brother,’ which was the equivalent of setting one-thousand couch fires in East Lansing. The ire coming from central Michigan propelled the green and white to several victories over a lackadaisical maize and blue squad.

However, in recent years, it went from a war of words to a war on the field. Customary shenanigans often took place in between plays, but nothing could compare to what happened in the aftermath of Michigan’s 2022 win, when multiple Spartans jumped two Wolverines in the stadium tunnel, leading to multiple suspensions of said MSU players.

The upcoming matchup in 2023 could be a night game at Spartan Stadium if NBC has its way. Asked about that possibility mixed with the recent issues in the rivalry, Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker doesn’t really see a way out from the current state of vitriol between the programs.

“How do you rein it in? I don’t know how you do that,” Tucker said. “There’s not a day that has gone by that I haven’t heard something about that game. I mean, every day of my life, I hear about that game. So I don’t know how you rein that in. It just is what it is.”

So, what’s the solution? Could the teams take a year off? Even if they could, Tucker doesn’t like the idea.

“No, that’s never gonna happen. That’s not even a reality. So why would we want to do that?” Tucker said. “That’s what’s great about college football. Now, I’ve been a part of — we talked about before, I coached in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Green Bay, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, Nebraska. Those are big games. I mean, that’s why we coach, why you play to be in those games and ultimately win those games. Oftentimes you’re judged by how you do in those games.

“So I think it’s great. From the day I got here in my initial press conference, I’m not stepping away, I’m not shying away from the challenge of the rivalry. This is the biggest game of the year for us. And it’s always gonna be like that as long as I’m the coach here.”

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Michigan football reaches out to surprising prospect in transfer portal

Brilliant. #GoBlue

When it comes to bolstering the upcoming Wolverines team, Michigan football isn’t shy about what it wants.

Despite returning the fifth-most production in college football and being loaded at nearly every position, the maize and blue are continuing to be active in the transfer portal.

Sometimes that means filling a need, such as bringing in kickers James Turner and Hudson Hollenbeck. Sometimes it’s about pure talent, such as targeting Ole Miss defensive tackle Tywone Malone.

The latest pursuit seems a mix of the two although it has an unlikely target.

On3’s Hayes Fawcett made a graphic and released it on Saturday night, indicating what schools soon-to-be former Michigan State wide receiver Keon Coleman has heard from after entering the transfer portal. It turns out that Michigan, the Spartans’ chief rival, has made its interest in the standout receiver known.

Coleman is a dual-sport athlete, also playing basketball at a high-level in college.

A transfer within the rivalry is rare but not unheard of. In 2021, Michigan linebacker Ben VanSumeren transferred from Ann Arbor to East Lansing, much to the chagrin of his former teammates. Linebacker Edward Warinner made the opposite move in 2020, which made more sense as a reserve; his father was on the staff as the offensive line coach.

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MSU loses two key offensive starters to transfer portal

Nelson voice: HA HA!

It’s been a really good day, unless you’re in East Lansing.

The program appears to be unraveling at Michigan State, which is coming off of a devastating loss to Michigan and a 5-7 campaign in head coach Mel Tucker’s third year. The expectations heading into 2023 were that with veteran leadership at quarterback and wide receiver, perhaps MSU could rebound.

Well, about that.

In somewhat shocking news, starting quarterback Payton Thorne and starting wide receiver Keon Coleman ended their Spartan careers, entering the NCAA transfer portal. The news comes on the heels of Jayden Reed leaving the program via the 2023 NFL draft

We don’t know what’s going on in East Lansing, but whatever it is, we’re totally here for it.

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More trouble for MSU player involved in Michigan Stadium tunnel incident

Not even close to a good look.

Apparently, the tunnel incident at Michigan Stadium wasn’t an isolated incident for one MSU player.

Itavyion “Tank” Brown was one of the players ganging up on Michigan football cornerback Ja’Den McBurrows and was one of seven Spartans suspended in its aftermath. According to MLive, Brown has found himself in more trouble.

Per the report, Brown was kicked out of an East Lansing bar before being arrested with felonious possession of a firearm. He was dismissed from the team due to this infraction. He was already serving a different suspension.

Former Michigan State defensive end Itayvion Brown was kicked out of an East Lansing bar and had been drinking before being arrested with a loaded gun last month, according to a police report obtained by MLive.

Brown was arraigned on April 14 during a virtual hearing in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court on two counts – felony carrying a concealed weapon and misdemeanor firearms possession while under the influence. A not guilty plea was entered for Brown and he remains free on a $5,000 bond. Following his arraignment, a Michigan State football spokesman said Brown had been suspended indefinitely from the team in late February for an unrelated reason before being dismissed from the program in March and he didn’t participate in spring practice.

While unfortunate, the good news for Michigan is one of the players involved in the tunnel altercation will not be on the field in this year’s edition of the battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy.

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