The annual rivalry game between Michigan football and Michigan State football is once again here, and it arrives with a slightly historic feel: Not only is this the first time since 1995 that both programs sport a coach in his first year in the rivalry — back then, it was Lloyd Carr for U-M and Nick Saban for MSU, and now it's Sherrone Moore and Jonathan Smith, respectively — but it's also the first time since 1928 that both squads enter the game with three losses.

That game, on Nov. 17, 1928, ended as a 3-0 Wolverines victory, giving the Spartans their fourth loss of the season. Which squad will come out of Saturday's game with a fourth loss? Seven Free Press sports writers have some thoughts on that.

STATE OF RIVALRY: This Michigan vs. Michigan State game has more juice than you think

Tony Garcia

That this game isn’t a clear runaway for Wolverines shows both how far they have fallen and the step MSU has taken. U-M needs to win the turnover battle and time of possession and have the run game take it to a stout MSU front. MSU, though, feels like it can win even with a turnover or an issue in the run game, with an edge in special teams and coaching. The pick: MSU 22, U-M 19.

Rainer Sabin

Picking MSU to win this game would have been unfathomable back in the summer. But that was before everyone had a chance to see U-M’s dysfunctional offense and putrid quarterback play. The reigning national champions have fallen off the cliff because of their diminished firepower, losing their last two games. Now they face their in-state rivals, who just authored their most complete performance of the season against Iowa, a team with a limited passing game that Michigan has come to resemble.

MSU seems more than capable of executing the same strategy it employed last Saturday against the Hawkeyes to beat the Wolverines, who have specific matchup disadvantages on offense, defense and special teams. The pick: MSU 20, U-M 16.

RAINER SABIN: Michigan's major regression is unacceptable. Sherrone Moore is responsible

Carlos Monarrez

MSU looks like it’s starting to figure things out while U-M looks as lost as ever. The Spartans are riding high after last week’s big win over Iowa and should have plenty of motivation to pay back the Wolverines for last year’s 49-0 loss at Spartan Stadium. And if MSU needed any more motivation, a victory could very well keep U-M from making a bowl for the first time in a full season since 2014. The pick: MSU 22, U-M 19.

Jeff Seidel

The first time I saw U-M this fall, I thought: MSU is going to beat the Wolverines. And nothing I’ve seen this fall has changed my mind.

Even with how bad U-M has looked, even with all the QB issues, the Wolverines certainly have a path to win this game: Run the ball, and then run it some more, and don’t turn it over. But the Spartans have a path as well — keep doing what they have been doing, keep growing, keep improving, take field goals when they are there and get the ball to Nick Marsh. Here’s the biggest key — Aidan Chiles can’t turn it over. The pick: MSU 17, U-M 14.

Chris Solari

A prime-time showdown buried on Big Ten Network will prove TV executives made the wrong decision, as the Spartans and Wolverines live up to their historically heated and intense rivalry with a Big Ten slugfest of the highest magnitude.

Chiles continues to receive pressure, and U-M gets home enough to disrupt the rhythm early. But the vastly improved MSU defense shuts down Kalel Mullings and the Wolverines’ run game in a low-scoring affair, with Chiles guiding the Spartans into field-goal range for enough Jonathan Kim kicks to boot away a two-game losing streak to U-M. The pick: MSU 20, U-M 13.

Jared Ramsey

MSU's defense was stout against Iowa's standout running back Kaleb Johnson last week, and should be able to employ a similar plan against U-M's Mullings and Donovan Edwards, regardless if there is another switch coming at quarterback. The Spartans' offense will struggle to move the ball on the ground against Michigan's front, but should fare better throwing if Chiles (nine interceptions) can avoid giveaways. The pick: MSU 20, U-M 17.

Shawn Windsor

The Spartans won’t run the ball the way they did against Iowa, but Aiden Chiles looks like he found something against the Hawkeyes, and played his most poised game of the year. The Wolverines, meanwhile, will finally realize Kalel Mullings needs touches, and early. That should help them score more than seven points, as they did against Illinois. It won’t be enough. The pick: MSU 23, U-M 16.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Michigan State football predictions: A stunning consensus