What’s All The Fuss About The Paul Bunyan Trophy?
We know about the rivalry. There's none bigger. Except our combined utter contempt for THE Ohio State University.
Michigan State University & The University of Michigan.
Spartans vs Wolverines.
Michigan's civil war.
And it's super personal.
The pendulum shifted back to the Wolverines under Bo Schembechler and his successors, as Michigan won 30 of 38 contests from 1970 to 2007. After Mike Hart's statement in 2007 referring to the Spartans as the Wolverines' "little brother", the Spartans reasserted themselves under head coach Mark Dantonio, winning seven of eight games from 2008 to 2015. Since 2016, under head coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has won three of four games. (Wikipedia)
Little...brother.
Oh man...them there is fightin' words for the Spartans my friend.
And we're at it again this weekend. Covid seemed to put the kibosh on Big Ten college football but it's back. And week number two has the interstate rivalry front and center.
The battle for The Paul Bunyan trophy is on!
And here's a couple of things I didn't know that make this "little rivalry" and that trophy significant.
- Paul Bunyan is from Oscoda, Michigan. Yup. Claimed and officially designated.
- The rivalry and this game dates all the way back to 1898. And as of the publication of this article they have met 112 times. (Wikipedia)
- Sorry Spartans...Michigan has kicked much booty and laid claim to victory and that trophy more times than you.
- The Paul Bunyan – Governor of Michigan Trophy, a four-foot wooden statute of a lumberjack that was first presented in 1953 to commemorate Michigan State's beginning football competition as a member of the Big Ten Conference. (Wikiwand)
- The legend of Paul Bunyan lives on in Michigan in five larger-than-life statues. The one in Oscoda is 13 feet 4 inches tall. (mibluemag.com)
And sadly one final piece of information.
Practically everyone is picking the Wolverines to win this one and I do believe the spread is +25.
Go Green for the upset at the Big House.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31 | Time: Noon ET
Location: Michigan Stadium -- Ann Arbor, Michigan
TV: Fox | Live stream: fuboTV (CBS Sports)