If you were looking for a peaceful Saturday night in East Lansing, you definitely weren't at Spartan Stadium this past October. The atmosphere was thick. You could basically feel the tension in the air before the first whistle even blew. When people ask about the score of the Michigan Michigan State game, they usually want the raw numbers first: Michigan 31, Michigan State 20.
But man, that scoreline doesn't even begin to tell the whole story of what went down on October 25, 2025. It was a game of "what ifs" for the Spartans and a "statement of stability" for Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines.
Michigan came into this one ranked No. 25, which honestly felt a bit low for a team with that kind of defensive front. Michigan State, on the other hand, was desperate to snap a three-game losing streak in the rivalry. They played like it too. For a while there, it felt like the Paul Bunyan Trophy might actually be changing zip codes.
The Grind: How the 31-20 Scoreline Developed
The first half was a defensive slugfest. Michigan jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, mostly by just bullying the line of scrimmage. It’s what they do. But the Spartans didn't just roll over. They clawed back with a touchdown in the second, making it 10-7 at the half.
The third quarter is where things got wild.
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Justice Haynes. Remember that name if you don't already. He was the absolute engine for the Wolverines. He finished the night with 152 rushing yards and two massive touchdowns. His 14-yard burst late in the third quarter pushed the lead to 24-7, and at that point, the air sort of sucked out of the stadium.
Key Game Stats at a Glance
- Total Yards: Michigan State actually out-gained Michigan in some metrics, but the efficiency wasn't there.
- Rushing Leaders: Justice Haynes (UM) with 152 yards; Jordan Marshall (UM) with 110 yards.
- Passing: Alessio Milivojevic stepped in late for the Spartans and looked surprisingly sharp, throwing a 21-yard TD to Michael Masunas in the closing minutes.
Honestly, the score of the Michigan Michigan State game could have been much tighter. Michigan State had a 12-play, 75-yard drive in the fourth that made it 24-13. They went for two—and missed. That was the dagger. If they convert that, we're looking at a one-possession game with all the momentum on the green side. Instead, Jordan Marshall iced it with a 56-yard house call just a few minutes later.
Looking Back at the 2024 Battle
It's funny how history repeats itself. Just a year ago, on October 26, 2024, we saw a similar script. That game ended 24-17 in favor of Michigan.
The 2024 version was arguably more stressful for Wolverine fans. Aidan Chiles, the MSU quarterback, had the Spartans within striking distance late in the fourth. He found Nick Marsh for a 20-yard score to make it 24-17 with about six minutes left. Michigan State actually got the ball back! They drove all the way to the Michigan 16-yard line.
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Then, the "Big House" happened. The noise was deafening. On fourth-and-5, Chiles' pass fell incomplete, and the Wolverines escaped.
The difference between the 31-20 score of the Michigan Michigan State game in 2025 and the 24-17 score in 2024 was basically the run game. In 2024, Michigan struggled to run the ball (only 119 yards). In 2025, they went back to their roots and just bludgeoned the MSU front seven for over 260 yards on the ground.
Hardwood Heat: The 2025 Basketball Split
We can't talk about this rivalry without mentioning the court. If the football team has had the Spartans' number lately, the basketball court told a different story this past spring.
Tom Izzo still knows how to defend his home floor. On March 9, 2025, Michigan State absolutely dismantled Michigan 79-62. It wasn't even as close as the score looks. The Spartans went into the locker room at halftime up 50-28.
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Earlier that season, in February, MSU went into Ann Arbor and took care of business there too, winning 75-62. Jase Richardson was a monster in that game, dropping 21 points and basically silencing the Crisler Center.
What the Rivalry Looks Like Now
Michigan has now won four straight on the football field. That’s the longest streak for them since the early 2000s. For Michigan State fans, it’s a bitter pill to swallow because they’ve actually out-gained Michigan in total yardage in several of these recent losses.
Efficiency matters. Turnovers matter.
When you look at the score of the Michigan Michigan State game, you’re seeing a reflection of who wins the "trenches." Michigan has consistently found a way to score when they get into the Red Zone, whereas State has settled for field goals or turned it over on downs.
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Watch the Trenches: In the next matchup (set for 2026 in Ann Arbor), keep an eye on the rushing attempts. If Michigan carries the ball more than 40 times, they almost always win.
- Quarterback Stability: Keep an eye on the Spartans' QB situation. Milivojevic showed flashes in the 2025 game that suggest he might be the one to finally break the streak.
- Betting Trends: For those who follow the spreads, Michigan has covered in three of the last four football meetings, despite the games often feeling closer than the final margin.
The Paul Bunyan Trophy stays in Ann Arbor for another year. Whether you're wearing Maize and Blue or Spartan Green, the reality is this: the gap is closing, but the scoreboard doesn't lie. Michigan's ability to finish drives remains the gold standard in this rivalry.