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The Michigan football team went to East Lansing last weekend for their annual rivalry game with Michigan State football. These two teams do not like each other, and it usually makes for a very entertaining matchup, but that wasn't the case this year. Well, unless you're a Michigan fan. The Wolverines absolutely dominated their in-state rival by winning 49-0, and with that, Michigan improved to 8-0 on the season.
This game was never even close as Michigan football scored on their first three possessions of the game and never looked back. The Wolverines were big favorites going into this one, but not many people were expecting the Spartans to get shutout on their own field and give up nearly 50 points. However, Michigan came in with something to prove, and they certainly handled their business on Saturday.
After the incident in the tunnel after the 2022 game between these two teams that saw a group of Michigan State football players beating two Michigan players with their helmets, some people expected the Wolverines to run up the score in this one. While the final score might indicate that that was the case, it actually could've been much worse. Michigan was up 42-0 halfway through the third quarter, and they pulled their starters at that point.
Still, Michigan did add their final touchdown in the last minute of the game when they could've taken a knee, but that could've been because of a “cheap shot” on Michigan's backup quarterback Alex Orji late in the contest.
“Alex Orji, the cheap shot he got,” Jim Harbaugh said this week on the Inside Michigan Football radio show. “Just the way they kept their poise and discipline. Super proud — and I thought those were two tremendous examples from the game.”
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The most notable hit, however, came earlier in the game on Michigan DE Braiden McGregor. McGregor was on the ground and far away from the play, and a Michigan State player launched at McGregor's head while leading with his own head. That play was flagged, and the Michigan State player was ejected from the game. I don't think anyone would argue with Harbaugh on that one, that was certainly a cheap shot.
“There were a lot of cheap shots that were happening in the game (against Michigan State),” Harbaugh said. “The hit that Braiden (McGregor) took to the back of the head, just the way he kept his poise — I think that’s a great representative for all defensive players on our team.”
Braiden McGregor didn't retaliate after the hit, he just got back up and went about his business, and helped lead his team to a blowout win in a rivalry game. That's the best response to a dirty hit.
Michigan is now on a bye week before returning to action on November 4th at home against Purdue.
