Tag: Paul Bunyan Trophy

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 2012

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The fifth and final installment of this year’s series looking back at the Michigan-MSU football rivalry takes us to 2012. Brady Hoke announced his presence with authority during the previous season, but the Wolverines were routed by Michigan State that year. Michigan’s ascendence set the Wolverines on the trajectory for a head-on collision with the Spartans, and their 2012 matchup would prove to be a slugfest.

The Wolverines and the Spartans might adapt to high-scoring, flashy, modern football against other opponents, but when they play each other the game is usually decided by hard-nosed blocking and tackling. The game remained scoreless throughout the first quarter, but Michigan was able to find some success in the passing game when Denard Robinson connected with wide receiver Drew Dileo, who would play a much larger role later in the game. With the defense concentrating on Dileo, Fitzgerald Toussaint rumbled 36 yards on a trap play, taking the ball to the Michigan State 6-yard line. The drive stalled as the Michigan State defense stiffened, and Michigan settled for a field goal from Brendan Gibbons, who would also play a very big role late in the game.

But Michigan State wouldn’t go quietly. Spartan quarterback Andrew Maxwell connected with Bennie Fowler for a 45-yard gain, and Michigan State was marching down the field. This time, the Michigan defense rose to the occasion and the Spartan drive ended when Dan Conroy missed a critical field goal. The game continued in that vein until Maxwell found tight end Paul Lang in the end zone on a play action pass in the third quarter, giving Michigan State its first lead. A lonely cheer went up in The Big House, but most in the crowd of 113,833 remained silent, concerned by Michigan State’s sudden rally. The Spartans threatened to extend their lead, but Jordan Kovacs put an end to that when he intercepted a Maxwell pass and returned it 34 yards to the Michigan State 38-yard line, shifting the possession and the momentum back to Michigan.

With 18 seconds remaining in regulation time, Robinson connected with Dileo for a 20-yard gain to the Michigan State 21-yard line, setting up a field goal attempt. Gibbons then knocked a 38-yard field goal through the uprights, and Michigan held on for a 12-10 victory in a classic defensive struggle.

Thanks to the Big Ten Network, YouTube, and YouTube poster Pizza Pizzichetti for the broadcast of this game. As always, we own nothing and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 2011

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The fourth installment of the series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us back to 2011. After three years of Rich Rodriguez, the football gods (and Dave Brandon) rescued the maize and blue from the defensive chaos that existed throughout the Rodriguez regime. Brady Hoke was named the new coach, and his team tore through the first six games on its schedule, highlighted by a thrilling comeback victory over Notre Dame. Suddenly, Michigan fans and alumni were looking at the football world through maize and blue shades!

Unfortunately, every party ends on a sober note, eventually. Hoke had long served as an assistant under both Gary Moeller and Lloyd Carr, and he was well acquainted with the nuances of the Paul Bunyan rivalry. One of the quirks of the series is that first-year coaches are often given a rude introduction to the game.

Hoke appeared to have the Wolverines ready to face Michigan State, but Spartan coach Mark Dantonio was obsessed with beating Michigan. Adding another challenge, this game would be played at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, a venue with a dubious history in the series.

Wearing throwback alternate uniforms, the Wolverines struck first when Denard Robinson scored on a 15-yard run. Michigan got off to a good start, but Hoke sensed a serious threat to his team’s perfect record.

By 2011, many teams preferred to use complicated passing schemes, but the Paul Bunyan rivalry has always been decided by fundamental execution of no-nonsense power football. On this day, Michigan State seized the moment by committing to a hard-nosed running game, gaining 213 yards on 39 carries. After repeatedly probing the Michigan defense, Edwin Baker rammed the ball over the goal line to tie the score in the first quarter. Baker’s touchdown enabled the Spartans to take control of the game, and it also opened up the Michigan secondary, allowing Kirk Cousins to connect with Keshawn Martin for a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter. Michigan closed the gap when Robinson connected with Roy Roundtree for a 34-yard scoring pass, but that was as close the Wolverines got. Michigan State went on to win, 28-14, for the Spartans’ fourth consecutive victory in the rivalry.

Michigan rebounded from the loss to finish the season with an 11-2 record, topping Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. The victory restored Michigan’s place in the national college football discussion. Unfortunately, the next step wouldn’t be so easy.

Thanks to ESPN, YouTube, and YouTube poster MSUAndyHRCMB for the accompanying highlight video of the game. As always, we own nothing and this blog postis provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 2000

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The third installment of the series looking back at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us to the year 2000. Change was everywhere as the 21st century began. The national economy was roaring, and many people invested in Internet startup companies, in spite of the fact that few people really understood how to produce a profit through the Internet. Widespread fears that computers would shut down as a result of the “Y2K bug” proved largely unfounded.

Change was even felt on the Michigan football team. Tom Brady graduated, and he was off to New England, presumably to serve as Drew Bledsoe’s understudy. In Ann Arbor, another Drew, Drew Henson, took the reins as Michigan’s starting quarterback. Henson’s ascendence promised to make the Wolverine offense more dynamic.

In fact, one of the few institutions that was slow to embrace change was the battle between Michigan and Michigan State for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. For decades, fundamentally sound football usually led the way to victory in this series, and that wasn’t about to change. In this game, Michigan mixed the run and the pass masterfully. Tackling machine Larry Foote led the Michigan defense, which shut down Michigan State at every critical point. The Wolverine defense toyed with the Spartans all day, allowing Ryan Van Dyke to throw for 292 yards, but thwarting any scoring attempts. By contrast, Michigan’s attack wasn’t prolific, but it was methodical. Anthony Thomas gained 175 yards on the ground, while Henson threw for 138 yards. In the end, that balance combined with solid defense proved to be the winning formula for the Wolverines, who retrieved the Paul Bunyan Trophy after a one-year absence.

The Wolverines finished the season with a 9-3 record, including a perfect record at Michigan Stadium for the second time in four years. Losses to Purdue and Northwestern kept the Wolverines from winning the Big Ten championship, but they rebounded with a vengeance, finishing the regular season with victories over Penn State and Ohio State. Michigan topped Auburn 31-28 to win the Florida Citrus Bowl, the Wolverines’ third consecutive bowl victory over an SEC opponent.

Thanks to ABC Sports, YouTube, and YouTube poster Pizza Pizzichetti for the broadcast of this game. As always, we own nothing, and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 2004

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

The second installment of the series looking at the football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State takes us back 20 years, to 2004. Michigan had won the Big Ten championship the previous season, and the team was entering a new era. Chad Henne, Jake Long and Mike Hart emerged as freshman leaders on a Michigan squad building for the future. Following an early loss to Notre Dame, Michigan started to build momentum, and the Wolverines entered the game against Michigan State firing on all cylinders.

As the game began, Michigan misfired early and often, while Michigan State played inspired football. DeAndra Cobb scored on a pair of long touchdown runs, and the Spartans took a 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Time appeared to be running out on the Wolverines, setting the scene for a comeback for the ages.

Michigan began its comeback with only 8:43 remaining in the fourth quarter. After Michigan got a field goal, Brian Thompson fell on the ball after it bounced off a Spartan, giving Michigan possession. Suddenly, Michigan was playing with a sense of reckless abandonment. With 6:12 left to play, Henne threw what amounted to a jump ball into the end zone, and Braylon Edwards came down with both the ball and the momentum. Now, the Wolverines were buoyed by a wave of positive emotion and energy. Several minutes later, Edwards made an eerily similar catch to tie the score with less then three minutes left in regulation time. Michigan State had one final chance to win the game before going to overtime, but Dave Rayner’s field goal attempt wasn’t even close, and the two old foes went to overtime.

As overtime began, the sun dipped below the rim of the stadium, adding an element of intrigue to a game filled with tension. The teams traded body blows through the first couple of overtime sessions, and then Henne found Edwards on a post pattern to give Michigan the lead. Then Henne connected with Tim Massaquoi in the back of the north end zone to give Michigan an eight-point lead, its first lead of the game. For the first time in the entire game, Michigan’s defense took the field with a lead to protect. After a long, frustrating afternoon, the Wolverines finally had the Spartans where they wanted them!

Fittingly, the game came down to a fourth down play. Spartan quarterback Damon Dowdell rolled out, and threw a pass into the end zone, where Michigan defensive back Markus Curry was able to get just a finger on the ball, redirecting it harmlessly away from the receiver. The Wolverines and their fans felt both exhilaration and relief at the same time, as Michigan pulled out a 45-37 win over Michigan State in triple overtime in one of the most dramatic games the rivals have ever played.

The season ended in bittersweet fashion for the Wolverines. Michigan tied Iowa for the Big Ten championship, but lost to arch rival Ohio State and fell to Texas in the Rose Bowl, leaving Michigan fans with a bad taste in their mouths.

Still, that doesn’t take away from the game that Edwards had. Decades from now, students at that game will tell their grandchildren that they watched Edwards grab lightning in a bottle when Michigan beat Michigan State in 2004. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Thanks to ESPN Classic, YouTube, and YouTube poster RXwolverine for the video of this game. As always, we own nothing, and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.

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Paul Bunyan Trophy — Looking Back – 1959

Looking Back is a Special Feature by Jeff Cummins

Many places claim to be the birthplace of Paul Bunyan. As far as the Michigan and Michigan State football programs are concerned, Paul was born in East Lansing.

The football rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State began in 1898, but 1953 marked a new chapter in the rivalry. Michigan State joined the Big Ten conference in 1953, and the rivals agreed that the Paul Bunyan Trophy would be awarded to the winner of the game each season. You could even make the argument the trophy changed the rivalry to some degree. The two schools had always been very different. The University of Michigan had long been regarded as an elite research institution, while Michigan State began its existence as Michigan Agricultural College. Michigan dominated the series for decades, building a resentment among Michigan State students, alumni and fans. Michigan State’s entry into the Big Ten suddenly gave the Spartans a solid platform to confront the Wolverines.

The first installment of this year’s series looking back at the Paul Bunyan rivalry takes us back to that ’53 game, which was played in East Lansing. A pair of midseason defeats tarnished Michigan’s record, but the sight of Michigan State on the opposing sideline should have ignited a fire under the Wolverines. It certainly inspired the Spartans, who always gnashed their teeth at the sight of the maize and blue.

Worse yet, Michigan State coach Clarence “Biggie” Munn had the Spartans well prepared for Michigan. Munn had considerable success recruiting players from Texas to play for Michigan State, and that gave the Spartans a significant advantage.

The rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State has always been marked by the ability to run the ball. The team that runs better usually wins, and Michigan State used a pair of rushing touchdowns and a fierce defensive effort to top Michigan, 14-6, giving the Spartans their fourth consecutive victory over Michigan. Munn retired from coaching after the 1953 season to become the athletic director at Michigan State. Michigan fans and alumni didn’t shed any tears over his departure from the sidelines.

Many thanks to YouTube and YouTube poster College Football Historian for the highlight film of this game. As always, we own nothing, and this blog post is provided strictly for the enjoyment of readers.