ANN ARBOR — Michigan triumphed over Michigan State 24-17 on Saturday night at Michigan Stadium, showcasing a clean game with no turnovers or penalties and plenty of trick plays.
With this victory, Michigan retained the Paul Bunyan Trophy, marking their third consecutive win in this rivalry. The Wolverines improved to 5-3 overall (3-2 in conference play), while Michigan State fell to 4-4 (2-3).
FOURTH QUARTER
1:52 — Alex Orji makes a significant gain on first down. The Spartans, holding all three timeouts, finally take one after the next play with 1:14 remaining. Mullings runs for a couple of yards, prompting MSU to call their second timeout with 1:10 left. Orji returns to the field, runs for a first down, and then slides. The Spartans take their final timeout with 1:04 left, but it seems that Michigan can run out the clock. They avoid any “trouble with the snap” on a potential punt situation, take a knee, and celebrate as Davis Warren pumps his fist towards the crowd. A brawl breaks out on the field, but the teams are quickly separated. Just another chapter in the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry.
4:34 — Aidan Chiles faces pressure and throws the ball away, drawing a flag for intentional grounding as there was no receiver in sight. Derrick Moore is credited with the pressure. The Spartans quickly recover the 14 penalty yards, and Chiles connects with Carter for a big gain down to the Michigan 21. On third and 12, Chiles throws for a seven-yard gain just before the two-minute warning. The game is on the line as we return; on fourth and 5, Chiles escapes the pocket and fires across his body to the end zone into traffic. The pass is broken up, nearly intercepted by Quinten Johnson, and Michigan takes over on downs.
Michigan 24, Michigan State 17
6:12 — Two runs by Kalel Mullings go nowhere, leaving him with just 13 yards on 11 carries. An incomplete pass near the sideline leads to a punt, which doesn’t go well. MSU takes over at midfield.
Michigan 24, Michigan State 17
13:20 — The Spartans effectively mix runs and passes, keeping the Wolverines off-balance. Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams makes a strong run up the middle to the Michigan 18, but Chiles is sacked on the next play. That leads to a third and 12 with the clock ticking. Chiles executes a sidearm pass to Nick Marsh, who reverses field and takes it from the 13 to the end zone, making it a one-score game in the fourth quarter.
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Michigan 24, Michigan State 17
15:00 — Before the fourth quarter begins, a targeting penalty from the previous play results in the ejection of Michigan State linebacker Jordan Turner. This places the ball at the MSU 42. Michigan rotates between Warren and Orji at quarterback. With Warren in on third and 3, Kendrick Bell catches a pass for a first down at the MSU 23. On the next snap, Edwards takes a pitch and then throws to a wide-open Colston Loveland for a touchdown. The Wolverines dig deep into their playbook, going for two and successfully converting with a pass from Warren to Loveland.
Michigan 24, Michigan State 10
THIRD QUARTER
0:26 — Alex Orji keeps the ball on Michigan’s first play of the drive, concluding the third quarter.
Michigan 16, Michigan State 10
2:04 — Michigan State goes three-and-out, hampered by a false start penalty. A big stop for the Michigan defense.
Michigan 16, Michigan State 10
3:43 — Michigan State attempts an onside kick; a Wolverine tries to grab it before it travels 10 yards. It bounces around before Michigan’s Tavierre Dunlap recovers it. However, MSU was offsides. Michigan fails to capitalize on the good field position, as Loveland drops a potential first down.
Michigan 16, Michigan State 10
9:49 — The Spartans miscommunicate on the kickoff, with one player calling for a fair catch while another actually catches the ball, starting on their own 5. After a first down, MSU faces third and 4. Chiles lofts a pass into single coverage, and Montorie Foster makes a catch for a 30-yard gain. However, Kenneth Grant tackles MSU running back Nate Carter for a loss on third and 1, leading to a 46-yard field goal attempt from Jonathan Kim, who nails it.
Michigan 16, Michigan State 10
15:00 — Michigan receives the second-half kickoff and faces a third and 8 immediately. Davis Warren connects with Semaj Morgan for a first down. Alex Orji runs for the first time tonight, gaining 29 yards to the Michigan State 35. On the next play, Mullings hands off to Warren, who finds Tyler Morris with a beautifully executed pass for a 23-yard gain. Michigan keeps the trick plays coming: Morgan takes a direct snap, fakes a reverse to Orji, and runs for seven yards to the MSU 5. Michigan sets up first and goal from the MSU 1, but Mullings loses a yard; Warren throws an incomplete pass. Orji enters and runs a shotgun snap into the end zone untouched, converting the extra point.
Michigan 16, Michigan State 7
HALFTIME:
Michigan 9, MSU 7
The Spartans dominated the first quarter, but Michigan scored twice in the final minute to take the lead. Despite the score, MSU still holds an edge in total yards, 160-116. Michigan will receive the second-half kickoff.
SECOND QUARTER
0:14 — Davis Warren finds Donovan Edwards out of the backfield for a 15-yard gain, leading to a 37-yard field goal attempt from Dominic Zvada, which he converts.
Michigan 9, MSU 7
0:29 — On the second play of the drive, Aidan Chiles rolls out to his right and is sacked by Josaiah Stewart, forcing a fumble and giving Michigan excellent field position.
MSU 7, Michigan 6
2:58 — Michigan finally finds its rhythm on offense, moving the chains with Davis Warren throwing to Semaj Morgan for 6 yards on third-and-5. Peyton O’Leary makes a sharp spin move to gain 15 yards. Michigan caps the drive with a 10-yard pass to Colston Loveland, who finds himself wide open in the end zone due to a defensive lapse. A botched snap results in a missed PAT.
MSU 7, Michigan 6
5:17 — MSU starts at its own 15 after a punt and goes three-and-out for the first time tonight. An ineligible man downfield penalty sets the Spartans back, but Nate Carter nearly recovers, gaining 8 yards on third-and-9.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
9:12 — The Spartans are stacking the box against Michigan’s run game, successfully slowing it down. They pick up one first down as Kalel Mullings rushes for 6 yards on third-and-1, but he’s stopped on third-and-6 from midfield, resulting in yet another punt. Mullings has just 7 rushing yards on 5 carries, while Davis Warren is 4 of 5 passing for 23 yards.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
12:46 — The Spartans start at their own 10 after a solid punt. They gain one first down before punting again. Aidan Chiles escapes a sack but gains only 2 yards, and a short third-and-7 pass results in a 5-yard loss.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
15:00 — Another disappointing drive for the Michigan offense sees Donovan Edwards gain just 3 yards on a run and another 3 on a reception. He’s bottled up for a loss on a pitch while in motion pre-snap.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
FIRST QUARTER
0:10 — Davis Warren completes a screen to Colston Loveland for a 14-yard gain, but the opening quarter belonged to the Spartans. Total yards favor MSU 135-15.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
5:23 — MSU starts at their own 38 and drives 62 yards for a touchdown, highlighted by a third-and-9 draw play where Nate Carter rushes for a 34-yard gain, followed by a 2-yard plunge on fourth down to score.
MSU 7, Michigan 0
Michigan and Michigan State are set to meet for the 117th time on Saturday, marking the first rivalry matchup since 2008 without both teams ranked. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. Stay tuned for updates from Michigan Stadium.
How to Watch Michigan vs. Michigan State (10/23/24): TV Channel, Kickoff Time, Live Stream
Both teams enter with a 4-3 record, 2-2 in the Big Ten, but trending in different directions. Michigan, facing their first consecutive losses since 2020, had a bye week to address their issues. Their previous game ended in a 21-7 loss to Illinois, marking their fewest points scored since 2014, prompting first-year head coach Sherrone Moore to emphasize discipline and fundamentals. On the other hand, the Spartans have made a surprising run with wins over Indiana and Minnesota. Coach Mel Tucker’s squad is seeking to extend their winning streak.
The game will be broadcast on FOX with a live stream available through the Fox Sports app.
Game Preview: Michigan vs. Michigan State
The annual in-state rivalry takes center stage as Michigan prepares to battle Michigan State in a crucial matchup at Spartan Stadium. Both teams have had ups and downs this season, but this game always brings a heightened level of intensity. Michigan, now led by head coach Sherrone Moore, will look to leverage their strong rushing attack and solid defensive play against a Spartans team that has found success with their emerging young talent.
This rivalry is steeped in history, making it one of the most anticipated games of the college football season. Expect a fiercely contested battle, filled with emotion and determination, as both teams fight not only for bragging rights but also for momentum as the season heads into its final stretch.
