When Michigan and Michigan State play in football, it is about the game first and foremost. But it is also about something else that goes to the winner.
The Paul Bunyan trophy.
As you know if you are a fan of either team, the school that wins the game gets rewarded with the Paul Bunyan trophy.
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On Saturday, following the Wolverine’s 21-7 win over the Spartans, the Michigan players ran to the trophy, picked it up, and proceeded to celebrate around Michigan State’s field.
That is something that is rather new as the trophy presentation was always something that would take place in the locker room.
On Monday, Wolverines’ head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke about how that locker room tradition changed when Mark Dantonio decided to have his team celebrate on the field with the trophy following a win. Now there is a new tradition and Harbaugh seems completely fine with it.
Jim Harbaugh told me Paul Bunyan was always a locker room trophy, celebrated behind the scenes he said, until Mark Dantonio arrived. pic.twitter.com/tj7HFXkNpm
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 22, 2018
This rivalry sure is getting interesting!
Bonus Content:
Dear Spartans: You wanted Michigan to take you seriously, now you have to deal with it
For the past decade, Michigan State has pretty much dominated Michigan when it comes to football, there is no arguing that.
Heading into Saturday, the Spartans had beaten the Wolverines in eight of the previous ten matchups and covered the point spread in all 10 of those games. To say the rivalry was one-sided would be an understatement.
But for the Spartans and their fans, it was never good enough.
Something has been missing
Despite constantly taking Michigan behind the woodshed, there was always the feeling that something was missing from the big game. For Michigan State, their annual game against Michigan has always been their biggest game of the season. It has always been the one game they wanted to win at all cost. After all, the Wolverines have always been their biggest rival and they always will be.
But for Michigan, that has never been the case and it has bothered the Spartans (and many of their fans) for a long time, though they probably will not admit it.
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