‘Put the fries in the bag, bro’: Michigan football makes history in Michigan State rivalry showdown

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan Wolverines leader Sherrone Moore made history by becoming the first head coach to beat the Michigan State Spartans in his first game of the in-state rivalry since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948, thanks to a fourth down stop.

In Saturday’s (Oct. 26) 24-17 victory for the Paul Bunyan trophy, Moore ended the first-year drought as seven-straight Michigan head coaches, including Bo Schembechler, Jim Harbaugh, Bump Elliott, Gary Moeller, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rodriguez, and Brady Hoke, have lost their first game against the Spartans in their careers.

Saturday’s rivalry game was the first time first-year coaches (Moore and Jonathan Smith) faced off against one another since 1995 when Carr took on Nick Saban in East Lansing, and it showed.

Their offense had 37 yards, 23 through the air, and 14 on the ground, with 2:58 remaining in the second quarter.

They didn‘t reach the Spartans’ red zone until the one-minute and 16-second mark before the half when they capped off a 10-play, 64-yard drive to tight end, Colston Loveland.

But like the Bad News Bears, the Wolverines fumbled the snap on the extra point and trailed the Spartans 7-6 before halftime.

Josaiah Stewart got a strip sack fumble to bring out the Turnover Buffs, while Davis Warren completed a pass to Donovan Edwards to set up a field goal by kicker Dominic Zvada to take a 9-7 lead into the half.

The second quarter blunder was unbelievable, as the momentum shifted completely in the waning seconds before the half, which the Spartans dominated.

The second-quarter blunder was unbelievable as the momentum shifted completely within the waning seconds before the half in which the Spartans dominated.

The Wolverines opened the third quarter with a big play by Alex Orji, who ran the ball for 29 yards to keep the fans engaged.

They followed that up with a 23-yard flea flicker from Warren to wide receiver Tyler Morris before punching in on a two-yard run by Orji to cap off an 11-play, 75-yard drive to extend their lead, 16-7.

The Wolverines got a big third-down stop by Kenneth Grant for negative three yards to force a field goal, bringing the game to 16-10.

The Spartans tried a surprised onside kick, but the Wolverines weren’t caught napping as they recovered it at the 50-yard line to start their second drive of the second half, but they went three-and-out.

Their defense pinned its ears on the Spartans' next drive, during which they got a key incompletion on third and five, setting up a three-yard carry by Orji to end the quarter.

During the changeover, Orji was targeted by linebacker Jordan Turner, giving an automatic first down and an ejection for the remainder of the game.

With the ball on the 50-yard line on second and 10, Orji picked up a seven-yard run followed by a Warren 12-yard pass to wide receiver Kendrick Bell for a first down.

Edwards ran his halfback pass to Loveland for 23 yards. Loveland also received a two-point conversion to extend the fourth-quarter lead to 24-10.

Aidan Chiles kept the game close after hitting Nick Marsh for a 20-yard touchdown pass to cap off a 13-play 75-yard drive with six minutes and 12 seconds remaining.

As they did for most of the game, the Wolverines went three and out, gaining one yard, and shanked punted the ball 24 yards to the 50-yard line, setting up great field position.

But the Wolverines defense put together their biggest stop of the season, starting with 14-yard intentional grounding penalty forced by Derrick Moore.

But the Spartans got out of that jam and moved the ball into the redzone with two minutes and 32 seconds remaining.

A false start followed, forcing a third and 12 on the 23-yard line, but the Spartans gained seven yards.

On fourth down and five yards, the men in maize sealed the victory with a Quinten Johnson pass breakup in the endzone.

The nail-biting matchup between the rivals was the third consecutive time they’d played under the lights, and it was well worth your admission.

The matchup was also the 72nd meeting for the Paul Bunyan trophy, but it was the 117th matchup all time in which the Wolverines held a 41-29-2 advantage, compared to 44 of the previous matchups.

The Wolverines snapped a two-game losing streak to advance to 5-3 on the season, but next up will be the No. 1 ranked Oregon Ducks next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. inside the Big House.