The Heated Rivalry Between No. 8 Michigan And No. 10 Michigan State Is Reaching A Boiling Point Ahead Of Oct. 30
Shortly after the No. 10 Michigan State Spartans survived a close scare in Bloomington against Indiana, a photo emerged on social media showing two Michigan State Spartans holding a sign with a not-so-friendly message to Jim Harbaugh.
After putting on our detective hats, we believe the two Spartans to be Julius Marble and Gabe Brown - a junior and senior on the Michigan State Basketball team.
Though it's unclear at this point exactly when the photo was taken, the timing of it making its rounds on social media is definitely no coincidence.
The rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State is one of the most intense rivalries in all of college athletics. In fact, the two programs have been nearly equal in terms of competitiveness over the last two decades - with the Wolverines holding a slight 11-10 advantage since 2000. While it's always been heated when the two programs meet on the football field, Mike Hart's infamous "little brother" comment in 2007 took the hatred and bitterness to new level.
What makes this year different, however, is that it's looking like Michigan and Michigan State will be ranked inside of the AP top 10 when the two meet on Oct. 30. If that is indeed the case, it will be the first time since 1964 that the two programs will square off while ranked in the AP top 10. To make matters even more interesting, It would also mark the first time since 2010 that the two programs would meet with undefeated records (5-0).
As if all of that isn't enough, there's the ever-growing microscope on Jim Harbaugh and his job performance at the University of Michigan. While there's no question that Ohio State has served as the primary issue of the Harbaugh era, the Spartans haven't necessarily been kind to Captain Comeback either. Six years into his tenure at Michigan, Harbaugh's 3-3 record against Michigan State has certainly been a sore subject among the Michigan fan base - particularly following the home loss in 2020 as a 21-point favorite.
It seems like every single week we're talking about "must-win" games for Harbaugh this football team, but I'm not sure that there's a single game on the 2021 schedule that Jim Harbaugh needs more than this one.
Michigan State is ascending under the leadership of second year head coach Mel Tucker, who already posts a 1-0 record over Harbaugh. With Michigan now looking like a legitimate championship contender, a second consecutive loss to Tucker and the Spartans would be devastating to Michigan's title hopes. A win, on the other hand, would set the table for Michigan to make a serious at the conference title and beyond.
