3 Observations from Michigan State's Loss to Michigan

EAST LANSING, Mich. --- The Paul Bunyan Trophy is going back to Ann Arbor for a fourth straight year, as No. 25 Michigan handled Michigan State on Saturday night, 31-20.

For MSU, it's the fifth consecutive loss to start Big Ten play; every loss has been by 11 points or more. Things are... not going well for the Spartans this year, to say the least.

Michigan State's Aidan Chiles, left, is hit by Michigan's Dominic Nichols after throwing the ball during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The record for Michigan State now sits at a measly 3-5, which feels dressed up with the 0-5 conference mark next to it.

As far as the latest loss goes, here are a few things I noticed:

Crowd Opinion on Jonathan Smith

At some point during the second half, an advertisement went up for Jonathan Smith’s weekly radio show. The crowd booed, and it sounded like it was from more than just a few people.

Towards the end of the game, a solid portion of the student section was made up of guys taking their shirts off and waving them around in what is basically the new sign of apathy for a fanbase.

A semi-muted chant of “Fire Smith!” even got through the window panes in the Spartan Stadium press box at one point.

Fans are fed up. A 3-5 record with five straight double-digit losses in conference play is going to make any fanbase restless.

As for Smith’s future, it just feels like a “when” he will get fired, not an “if”.

Perhaps he survives another season due to his massive buyout number, but with a daunting 2026 schedule ahead, it does not feel like things will end any other way.

Muted Paul Bunyan Celebration from UM

Michigan defensive back Jaden Mangham (3) walks into the tunnel with the the Paul Bunyan Trophy after 31-20 win over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan did not look like a team that was basking in the rivalry victory that much immediately following the game; the national championship-winning 2023 team actually celebrated harder after a 49-0 blowout, I think.

The Wolverines carried the Paul Bunyan Trophy like it was a birthright for them. Not necessarily with arrogance, but rather like it was something relatively easy to obtain.

It was kinda like how a team looks when it doesn’t want to get made of for celebrating too much — a ‘it’s only 3-5 MSU’ type of thing. Sure, it's cool to win a rivalry game, but this wasn't anything too special.

There were barely any “little brother” chants from the Michigan fans in attendance; beating this team is not worth gloating over.

Michigan players hold up the Paul Bunyan Trophy after 31-20 win over Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That’s the type of program Michigan State and Smith have in front of them right now. The Spartans are a bad football team, and have been for several years now.

Since MSU beat UM in 2021, the Spartans are 10-26 during Big Ten games, and are 3-11 under Smith. Even if Michigan State were to suddenly gain superpowers and win out, it would still finish with a losing conference record for the fourth straight year; that hasn’t happened since a five-season stretch from 1979-83.

Frustrating Refs

What does not help is that the referees were... difficult. Let' say that.

The one that will be remembered most was when Malcolm Bell was called offsides during the third quarter. Bell was blitzing and seemed to have perfectly timed UM’s snap. He got to Bryce Underwood, forced a fumble, and it was recovered by the Spartans.

I think at this point it’s time to get the FBI involved. pic.twitter.com/bbuQjLlwPh
— Matt Seybert (@mattseybert82) October 26, 2025

The replay showed Bell not being in the neutral zone when the ball in the center’s hand first moved.

A couple plays after the Wolverines’ drive was artificially extended, Justice Haynes ran in a touchdown, giving Michigan seven points it really did not deserve to have.

It also seemed like UM also committed several pass interference fouls that were not called.

Let’s be clear here, though — the refs are not why Michigan State lost that football game. The Wolverines were stronger offensive and defensively, and the final score reflected that.

Michigan running back Justice Haynes (22) runs for a touchdown against Michigan State defensive back Malcolm Bell (14) during the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 25, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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