Paul Bunyan may be made of wood, but the stakes in this rivalry are forged in steel.
When it comes to college football, few things ignite raw emotion, tribal loyalty, and generational tension quite like rivalry games. From house-dividing showdowns to beer-splitting friendships, rivalries are the fiery soul of the sport—and the annual Michigan vs. Michigan State clash has officially earned its place among the sport’s most iconic.
According to The Athletic, which just unveiled its Top 25 College Football Rivalries, the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy isn’t just a backyard brawl in the Great Lakes State—it’s a national spectacle, coming in at No. 16 on the list of fiercest, most historically charged rivalries in the country.
The Paul Bunyan War: More Than a Trophy
Forget the polished narratives of polished powerhouses. This rivalry is gritty, personal, and often ugly—and that’s exactly why it belongs on this list.
Every fall, when the Maize and Blue lock horns with the Green and White, the state of Michigan transforms into a battleground. Families split, coworkers go silent, and friend groups declare emotional war. The prize? A lumberjack statue that symbolizes far more than it appears.
The Paul Bunyan Trophy isn’t just a trophy—it’s a symbol of dominance, pride, vengeance, and at times, disrespect that transcends the gridiron.
A Deeper Dive into the Rankings
Let’s break down The Athletic’s rankings a bit.
The usual suspects top the list:
- Michigan vs. Ohio State – An epic clash of titans
- Alabama vs. Auburn – The Iron Bowl madness
- Oklahoma vs. Texas – Red River Rivalry energy
- Army vs. Navy – Respect and tradition in its purest form
But Michigan vs. Michigan State, clocking in at #16, holds its own against blue-bloods and ancient foes.
Just above it at No. 15? Texas vs. Texas A&M — a newly revived rivalry drenched in Lone Star drama.
Just below it at No. 17? Auburn vs. Georgia — the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.”
And notably, it beat out legends like Michigan-Notre Dame (No. 18), further cementing its Big Ten bonafides. It was also ranked the #5 best intra-conference rivalry in the Big Ten, behind only the monumental classics.
Why This Rivalry Deserves Even More Respect
Now, let’s get something clear: rankings are subjective. But if we’re talking pure hatred, historical upsets, dramatic finishes, and year-round smack talk, Michigan vs. Michigan State punches far above No. 16.
Here’s why this game deserves top-10 treatment:
- Turf Wars: Michigan may have the blueblood prestige, but MSU has played the underdog role to perfection. And when Sparty wins, it hurts in Ann Arbor.
- Tension That Doesn’t Cool: These two programs recruit the same kids, fight over the same turf, and exist in the same echo chamber of media noise and in-state banter.
- Moments of Madness: From the “trouble with the snap” miracle in 2015 to relentless defensive slugfests, this rivalry produces viral chaos.
- Unfiltered Hate: This isn’t about respect — it’s about owning the state for 365 days.
Even when the national spotlight isn’t focused on it, this game simmers with localized rage. If you’ve ever walked the halls of a Michigan high school the week of the game, you’d swear it was Civil War reenactment season.
A Rivalry Reignited?
With both programs under scrutiny — Michigan fending off NCAA investigations and MSU rebuilding in the post-Mel Tucker era — this rivalry might soon explode back onto the national stage.
Imagine: Two top-10 teams. A playoff berth on the line. A nation watching as Paul Bunyan’s destiny swings like an axe through the foggy November air. That’s not just a rivalry. That’s cinematic college football.
✍️ Final Thoughts: From Hate, Comes Legacy
The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry may be ranked 16th by The Athletic, but if passion were the metric, this one would be a perennial podium finisher. This isn’t about championships—it’s about state supremacy, spite, and memory.
Every fall, in stadiums split by pride and parking lots filled with tension, this rivalry proves why college football is unlike anything else in sports.
And as long as that blue M and that green S exist, one thing is certain:
The state of Michigan will never be big enough for the both of them.
So here’s to Paul Bunyan. To grudges. To the grittiest game of the year. And to a rivalry that refuses to be tamed.
