Final score predictions for in-state rivalry between Michigan vs. Michigan State

The Wolverines are back on the road this weekend and Michigan will have to take down Michigan State if it hopes to continue its chase for a College Football Playoff spot. The Wolverines are now sitting at 5-2 on the season, and Michigan is taking on a Spartans' team that has dropped its last four games this season.

Michigan enters the game as a two-touchdown favorite, but you can normally toss those numbers out the window in a rivalry game like this.

Michigan Wolverines on SI's staff predicts what happens in this game.

Trent Knoop

Anything can typically happen in this rivalry, but there is a clear talent discrepancy between the two programs. Not that MSU doesn't have talent: Aidan Chiles, Nick Marsh, and Jordan Hall are all good players, among others, but the Spartans aren't as deep as Michigan. The Wolverines took down MSU last year in Ann Arbor, and Michigan didn't have a competent passer on the team.

This year, Michigan has Bryce Underwood, who only continues to get better, and the Wolverines' run game is flourishing. I think MSU will pull out some trickery in this game and score a couple of times, but I'm not sure the Spartans can sustain many drives against Michigan. Also, I think the Wolverines will move the football fairly easily in this one. I like the Wolverines big.

Score prediction: Michigan 34, Michigan State 13

Seth Berry

Michigan bounced back from the USC game in a big way against Washington last weekend and now carry momentum into this Saturday's game against Michigan State. Jonathan Smith and the Spartans will be desperate to turn their season around with a win over the Wolverines, especially with how things have gone for the second year MSU head coach and the noise surrounding his job security. However, while Aidan Chiles and MSU will make some plays in the passing game, the Wolverines will be too much for the Spartans to handle in the trenches. Michigan pulls away as the game wears on and comes away with their fourth-straight win in the battle for Paul Bunyan.

Score prediction: Michigan 34, Michigan State 24

Lucas Reimink

Michigan played maybe their best game of the season thus far last week against Washington. They’ll look to keep that rolling as they take on the in-state rival Michigan State Spartans. Michigan is better on both sides of the ball, and on paper, it shouldn’t be a very close game. This rivalry very often produces results that don’t make a lot of sense on paper though. I think in this version of the rivalry game, I think Michigan will control it from the start. This MSU team has to be on the verge of quitting on Head Coach Jonathan Smith, considering how his tenure has gone thus far. If they don’t hang around early on, I think they might just roll over and quit. Wolverines roll in this one from the opening, largely running their way to a victory.

Score prediction: Michigan 35, Michigan State 17

Trent Knoop

Seth Berry

Lucas Reimink

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