This installment of the Michigan vs. Michigan State rivalry, the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy, is shaping up to be a historic one.
Both teams (Michigan at No. 6 and Michigan State at No. 8) are ranked well inside the top-10 and both teams are also a perfect 7-0. There have been some important games in this rivalry before, but few with the potential consequences of the 114th meeting between the two schools.
For starters, it's the first time since 1964 that both teams enter the matchup ranked inside the top-10. The 7-0 start is also the best of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh's career at his alma mater, though the Wolverines have yet to play a ranked opponent this season.
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Harbaugh, however, has struggled against top-10 teams over the course of his tenure, going just 2-12 against top-10 teams while at Michigan.
Michigan State won last year's meeting of the rivalry, knocking off then-No. 13 Michigan in Ann Arbor as 24.5 point underdogs. It marked the first win of the Mel Tucker era at Michigan State and was one of just two wins last year for the Spartans, who have quickly turned things around in 2021.
One team's going to leave Saturday's game with the first loss of their season. But for the winner, a path to the College Football Playoff gets that much more real and that much closer.
Here's how to catch this marquee Big Ten game in action.
MORE: Watch Michigan vs. Michigan State live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
What channel is Michigan vs. Michigan State on today?
- TV channel (national): Fox
- Live stream: Fox Sports App, fuboTV
The meeting between Michigan and Michigan State will be broadcast nationally on Fox. Gus Johnson will man the play-by-play duties while Joel Klatt will join him in the booth as an analyst. Jenny Taft also joins the duo as the sideline reporter.
What time does Michigan vs. Michigan State start?
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 30
- Kickoff: Noon ET
Michigan vs. Michigan State will kick off at noon ET from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
Michigan football schedule 2021
| Opponent | Date | Outcome |
| vs. Western Michigan | Sept. 4 | Michigan 47, Western Michigan 14 |
| vs. Washington | Sept. 11 | Michigan 31, Washington 10 |
| vs. Northern Illinois | Sept. 18 | Michigan 63, Northern Illinois 10 |
| vs. Rutgers | Sept. 25 | Michigan 20, Rutgers 13 |
| at Wisconsin | Oct. 2 | Michigan 38, Wisconsin 17 |
| at Nebraska | Oct. 9 | Michigan 32, Nebraska 29 |
| vs. Northwestern | Oct. 23 | Michigan 33, Northwestern 7 |
| at Michigan State | Oct. 30 | TBD |
| vs. Indiana | Nov. 6 | TBD |
| at Penn State | Nov. 13 | TBD |
| at Maryland | Nov. 20 | TBD |
| vs. Ohio State | Nov. 27 | TBD |
Michigan State football schedule 2021
| Opponent | Date | Outcome |
| at Northwestern | Sept. 3 | Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 |
| vs. Youngstown State | Sept. 11 | Michigan State 42, Youngstown State 14 |
| at No. 24 Miami (FL) | Sept. 18 | Michigan State 38, Miami 17 |
| vs. Nebraska | Sept. 25 | Michigan State 23, Nebraska 20 (OT) |
| vs. Western Kentucky | Oct. 2 | Michigan State 48, Western Kentucky 31 |
| at Rutgers | Oct. 9 | Michigan State 31, Rutgers 13 |
| at Indiana | Oct. 23 | Michigan State 20, Indiana 15 |
| vs. Michigan | Oct. 30 | TBD |
| at Purdue | Nov. 6 | TBD |
| vs. Maryland | Nov. 13 | TBD |
| at Ohio State | Nov. 20 | TBD |
| vs. Penn State | Nov. 27 | TBD |