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Biggest blowouts in Michigan vs. MSU: Where does 2023 rivalry game rank in series history?

kevin skiver, usa today network
·4 min read
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Michigan came into East Lansing as 25-point favorites Saturday, but even the books couldn't predict how ugly the game was going to get.

Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines took a 28-0 lead into the locker room at the half in a no-holds-barred onslaught of the Spartans that saw more than 300 yards of total offense. It was nearly one touchdown worse: a last-second touchdown was wiped off the board because of an illegal formation penalty and 10-second runoff that sent the game to halftime without an additional Wolverines score.

The Michigan defense made up for it on its first drive of the second half, as Mike Sainristil nabbed an interception of Katin Houser and returned it 72 yards for a touchdown. That made the score 35-0. Following an MSU punt, Michigan traversed 65 yards in three plays (helped mightily by Spartans penalties) to make the score 42-0. The final score was an Alex Orji 6-yard touchdown run to make the score 49-0 with just seconds left on the clock.

Michigan and Michigan State have historically played each other relatively close, particularly in recent history. But the Wolverines' 49-0 victory ranks as one of the most dominant of all time in the history of the rivalry.

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Michigan, of course, will never challenge the 119-0 shellacking it put on the Spartans in 1902. But the Wolverines have defeated the Spartans by 34 points or more seven times since 1945, and 16 times in the rivalry's history.

What is the biggest blowout in Michigan vs. Michigan State history?

The biggest margin of victory Michigan vs. Michigan State has ever seen is 119-0, the second-ever meeting between the two teams in 1902. At that time, Michigan State was still called Michigan Agricultural College.

The biggest margin of victory for a team since 2000 is Saturday's 49-0 shutout. Prior to that, it was Michigan's 49-3 win in 2002: Michigan's John Navarre went 16 for 27 passing for 229 yards and three touchdowns while the Wolverines rushed for 188 more yards with four rushing scores.

Michigan State's biggest margin of victory in the series is 34-0, which occurred in 1967.

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Biggest blowouts in Michigan vs. Michigan State history

Michigan owns 16 of the 17 biggest blowouts in Michigan vs. Michigan State history, with 16 margins of victory of 34 points or greater. It has happened seven times since 1945, and once for Michigan State:

  • 1902: Michigan 119, Michigan State 0 (119 points)

  • 1922: Michigan 63, Michigan State 0 (63 points)

  • 1947: Michigan 55, Michigan State 0 (55 points)

  • 1926: Michigan 55, Michigan State 3 (52 points)

  • 2023: Michigan 49, Michigan State 0 (49 points)

  • 1912: Michigan 55, Michigan State 7 (48 points)

  • 1946: Michigan 55, Michigan State 7 (48 points)

  • 1907: Michigan 46, Michigan State 0 (46 points)

  • 2002: Michigan 49, Michigan State 3 (46 points)

  • 1983: Michigan 42, Michigan State 0 (42 points)

  • 1945: Michigan 40, Michigan State 0 (40 points)

  • 1925: Michigan 39, Michigan State 0 (39 points)

  • 1898: Michigan 39, Michigan State 0 (39 points)

  • 1923: Michigan 37, Michigan State 0 (37 points)

  • 1920: Michigan 35, Michigan State 0 (35 points)

  • 2019: Michigan 44, Michigan State 10 (34 points)

  • 1967: Michigan State 34, Michigan 0 (34 points)

Biggest shutouts in Michigan vs. Michigan State history

Michigan also scored a top-five all-time shutout vs. Michigan State, with the 49-point differential ranking fourth in rivalry history.

  • 1902: Michigan 119, Michigan State 0 (119 points)

  • 1922: Michigan 63, Michigan State 0 (63 points)

  • 1947: Michigan 55, Michigan State 0 (55 points)

  • 2023: Michigan 49, Michigan State 0 (49 points)

  • 1907: Michigan 46, Michigan State 0 (46 points)

  • 1983: Michigan 42, Michigan State 0 (42 points)

  • 1945: Michigan 40, Michigan State 0 (40 points)

  • 1925: Michigan 39, Michigan State 0 (39 points)

  • 1898: Michigan 39, Michigan State 0 (39 points)

  • 1923: Michigan 37, Michigan State 0 (37 points)

  • 1920: Michigan 35, Michigan State 0 (35 points)

  • 1967: Michigan State 34, Michigan 0 (34 points)

  • 1985: Michigan 31, Michigan State 0 (31 points)

  • 1973: Michigan 31, Michigan State 0 (31 points)

  • 1921: Michigan 30, Michigan State 0 (30 points)

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Biggest blowouts in Michigan vs. MSU: Where does 2023 game rank?