Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins Highlighting Key Rivalry Games

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us back just two years, to 2021.

In the time since 2019, the world experienced a lot of change. Covid-19 sent workers home, and people adjusted to isolation. Many struggled with it, while others benefited, to varying degrees. Some even reveled in the change.

Michigan carefully reexamined its football course prior to 2021, and chose to go back to basics. Jim Harbaugh remained head coach, and Josh Gattis remained his offensive coordinator, though the success Michigan’s offense experience came from renewing its commitment to a power running game. There were several factors involved, but the tangible result was success for Michigan.

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Michigan grabbed the early lead when Cade McNamara connected with Andrel Anthony for a 92-yard touchdown. Late in the second quarter, the game turned on the pivotal play. Michigan was leading 20-14 with less than two minutes left when MSU quarterback Payton Thorne faded back to pass deep in Spartan territory. Michigan defensive end David Ojabo beat a block and sacked Thorne, stripping the ball in the process. Better still, all-world defensive end Aidan Hutchinson recovered the fumble in the end zone, and Michigan had a two-score lead.

There was just one problem. Officials reviewed the tape and ruled that Thorne’s shin was down before he fumbled the ball. Television replays gave every impression that the original ruling was correct, because that ball appeared to pop loose before Thorne’s shin hit the ground. However, the game officials reversed their original call and ruled that Michigan State would keep the ball. Instead of having 26 points on the scoreboard, Michigan witnessed what might have been the 26th time in series history that an officiating controversy worked in Michigan State’s favor.

After that, Jake Moody kicked a field goal just before halftime to extend Michigan’s lead to nine points, but the Wolverines had difficulty overcoming the obvious officiating mistake in the first half. Late in the game, Michigan had a fourth down and 3 yards to go in Michigan State territory. Once again, the referees missed the fact that a defensive back grabbed Ronnie Bell’s arm, preventing him from reaching for the ball. MIchigan turned the ball over on downs, and Michigan State won, 37-33.

The good news for Michigan was that the Wolverines went on to beat Ohio State and top Iowa in the Big Ten championship game, earning their first berth in the College Football Playoff. Still, that controversial loss to Michigan State in East Lansing prevented the Wolverines from finishing the regular season with a perfect record, something that will stick in the Wolverines’ craws forever.

Many thanks for Fox Sports, the Big Ten Network, YouTube and YouTube poster Matthew Loves Ball for the accompanying highlight film of this game. As always, I own nothing and do not profit from this blog post in any way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-BcS6eakck

6 Michigan vs #8 Michigan State Football Game Highlights 10 30 2021

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About Jeff Cummins

Jeff Cummins has written about football since 1998, including nine years with The Record of Hackensack, N.J. He frequently contributes feature stories to Touchdown Illustrated, an insert in the national college football game program, published by University Sports Publications, and he has also written the official pregame stories for the game programs of the Rose Bowl, the Cotton Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Gator Bowl, and the BCS National Championship game. He has written the preview story for the official program for the NHL Winter Classic at MIchigan Stadium, and numerous college basketball feature stories for College Hoops Illustrated, another game program insert published by University Sports Publications. In addition, he has written stories about theater, music, physical therapy, and newsletter marketing. He’s an avid Michigan football fan and long-time New York Jets season ticket holder, and he can be reached at jeffcummins@optonline.net.