Hatred Plus Stakes in MSU-UM Rivalry Is Good Thing
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Game 31 preparation is now underway.
The Big Ten’s schedule-makers saved one of the best ones for last. No. 8 Michigan State (25-5 overall, 15-4 Big Ten) is headed down to Ann Arbor to take on third-ranked Michigan (28-2, 18-1).
Where the Rivalry Sits
To state the obvious here: these two teams don’t seem to like each other. No matter what side of the aisle one sits on, most seem to agree that Tom Izzo and Dusty May don’t seem to like one another much, either. It’s a different vibe than when Izzo was matched up against John Beilein or even Juwan Howard.
It’s old-school vs. new-school in a lot of ways, with both teams thriving within their respective methods this season. May’s top four scorers are all players who transferred in this past offseason. Izzo’s top seven scorers have never played for anyone else in college.
UM has already earned the outright Big Ten title. Clearly, it’s working for it. Michigan State is finishing no worse than a tie for second in the conference. Clearly, it’s still working for Izzo, even in an age where his methods might be considered slightly antiquated.
It’s almost like these two programs were already preordained to dislike each other. Izzo has never liked Michigan, but there was an obvious layer of mutual respect for how the Wolverines did things when Beilein had some pretty good teams in the 2010s.
Beilein and him seemed to align on some things philosophically, which was helped by the fact that both coaches were operating pre-NIL and pre-transfer portal.
Some of that has been stripped away. Perhaps it’s because May is a legitimate threat now to make Izzo relinquish his control over the state that he’s generally controlled for about three decades.
Perhaps it’s some saltiness over May (basically) calling out Jeremy Fears Jr. for some alleged dirty plays during these two teams’ first meeting on Jan. 30, an 83-71 win for the Wolverines in the Breslin Center that snapped MSU’s seven-game home win streak in the rivalry.
Chances are that there is some nuance to it. Let’s face it: there is a very real chance Michigan ends up winning the national championship in April.
I can’t exactly gauge how Izzo would feel or feels about that fact, but the idea of May getting his first title in Year 2 at UM, while he’s been stuck on one and been trying for No. 2 for more than two decades would probably cause most people some angst if they were in Izzo’s shoes.
This is all a good thing for the health of this rivalry. For people and fans to truly care, the stakes have to remain high. These two teams aren't even really playing for much in this game. Michigan is already a lock to be a No. 1 seed in March Madness, and the difference between being the second and third seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the Spartans isn't very large.
Despite that, it still feels like a blockbuster with tons at stake here. It's kind of a reverse of last year's regular season finale, when MSU had the outright B1G title locked up and UM was only really looking at Big Ten Tournament seeding. The Breslin Center was still as rowdy as ever. It feels even bigger, now that the Wolverines are among the nation's elite.
Why Hatred in Rivalry is Important
This type of Cold War-esque relationship between the two premier schools in the state isn’t necessarily a basketball problem.
The relationship between the two football teams has just gotten more and more bitter ever since Mike Hart dropped the “little brother” line after the 2007 game. One can hope that things can have a firmer reset with Michigan State hiring Pat Fitzgerald and the Wolverines picking Kyle Whittingham, two outside hires, but it’s hard to assume anything these days.
Maybe one likes a good, bitter rivalry. Selfishly, it’s more fun, which is what sports are supposed to be. Watching two teams that legitimately have a distaste for the other side is different and more interesting. True respect is preferred for non-rivalry opponents.
Go shake the hands of Iowa. Go shake the hands of Minnesota. Go shake the hands of Washington. There is never any ill will there. This game is different, and pretending otherwise does the sport a disservice.
It’s part of the reason a lot of people love college sports in the first place. Professional sports teams don’t hate each other in North American sports. When the Detroit Lions play the Green Bay Packers, that game is only a “rivalry” because the two teams share a division, and divisional games have added built-in importance.
Rivalries are one of the last vestiges of the old version of college sports. Fans don’t get to see players stay at one place and grow over four years like they used to.
Conferences now look at fans in the face and say that MSU traveling to Eugene, Oregon, for a conference game is a truly positive thing. If the game has to be a little more chippy to keep that rivalry flame alive and remind people that college sports are still a special thing and not a lite version of the pros, that’s a trade most people are probably willing to make.
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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