Michigan State beat Michigan 15-6 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, November 7, 2026, in one of the biggest upsets of the college football season. The Spartans entered the game in last place in the Big Ten and as 14.5-point underdogs, but they controlled the game from start to finish. Kicker Liam Boyd made all five of his field goals, and the Michigan State defense forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks. The win gave Michigan State the Paul Bunyan Trophy for the first time since 2021 and its first Big Ten win of the season.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Final score | Michigan State 15, Michigan 6 |
| Date | Saturday, November 7, 2026 |
| Stadium | Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor |
| Michigan State record | 3-6 overall, 1-5 in Big Ten play |
| Michigan record | 5-4 overall, 2-4 in Big Ten play |
| Point spread | Michigan entered as a 14.5-point favorite |
| Kicker | Liam Boyd, 5-for-5 on field goals |
| Turnovers forced | Michigan State forced 4, Michigan forced 0 |
| Sacks | Michigan State 5 |
| Total yards | Michigan State 298, Michigan 192 |
| Time of possession | Michigan State 38:07, Michigan 21:53 |
| Trophy | Paul Bunyan Trophy goes to Michigan State |
| Last Michigan State win in the series | 2021 |
| Michigan State next game | Home against Washington on November 14 |
| Michigan next game | At Oregon on November 14 |
Liam Boyd Kicked Five Field Goals and Michigan State Never Trailed
Michigan State did not score a touchdown all night, and it did not need one. Liam Boyd kicked five field goals on five attempts, and each one added to a lead that Michigan never threatened. Boyd made kicks of 26 and 38 yards in the first half, giving the Spartans a 6-0 lead at halftime. He added another field goal late in the third quarter to make it 9-0, and two more in the fourth quarter, including a 49-yard kick with 4:09 left that made the score 15-0.
The third-quarter field goal capped one of the best drives of the season for Michigan State. The Spartans started at their own 1-yard line and put together a 17-play, 79-yard drive that took nearly 11 minutes off the clock. A drive like that does more than add three points. It keeps the other team’s offense on the sideline, wears down the defense, and tells the whole stadium which team is in control.
Michigan finally scored with 1:35 left, when Savion Hiter ran in from 1 yard out to make it 15-6. The two-point conversion failed when quarterback Tommy Carr was sacked, and Michigan State ran out the clock. The late touchdown only saved Michigan from being shut out for the first time since 2014.
A Defense That Forced Four Turnovers and Five Sacks
The Michigan State defense was the real story of the night. The Spartans forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks, and they held Michigan to only 192 yards of total offense. Michigan managed just 54 rushing yards on 26 carries, and the Spartans won the turnover battle 4-0.
Freshman quarterback Tommy Carr struggled in his first rivalry game. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards and threw two interceptions. Running back Bryson Kuzdzal and receiver Andrew Marsh each lost a fumble in the second half. The biggest play of the second half came when Marsh caught a pass over the middle and was stripped of the ball with less than five minutes to play, giving Michigan State the ball at the Michigan 38-yard line with the game already decided.
Michigan State entered the game with only five defensive takeaways all season, the fewest in the Big Ten. On Saturday night, the Spartans nearly matched that total in a single game. The defense also kept Michigan scoreless in the first half for the third straight home game, something that had not happened three times in a season since 1979, according to Sportradar.
Michigan’s Offense and Kicking Problems Continued
Michigan’s problems on offense have been building all season, and they were on full display against its biggest rival. The Wolverines were held scoreless in the first half for the third straight home game, and they finished with only 192 yards. Carr threw two interceptions, the running game never got going, and the team committed four turnovers.
The kicking game added to the trouble. Michigan had a chance to score in the second quarter, but kicker Jacob Baggett hit the left upright on a 26-yard kick. It was the team’s fifth missed field goal in three games. Baggett had won the job in practice during the week after Trey Butkowski missed four field goals in the previous two games, but the change did not fix the problem.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham took the blame for the loss after the game. His first season in Ann Arbor has fallen short of expectations after Michigan started the year ranked No. 16 in the preseason AP Top 25. The Wolverines have a strong defense, but the offense has not been able to take advantage of it, and the loss to a last-place rival will only increase the pressure. Michigan now travels to face Oregon, a team coming off a big win over Ohio State, and the schedule does not get any easier. Oregon beat Ohio State 41-28 on Saturday in a result that shook up the Big Ten race, and Michigan will face that same Oregon team next week.
What the Win Means for Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State
For Michigan State, the win changes the feeling around the whole season. The Spartans had lost six straight games and had not won a Big Ten game all season. They were also carrying a 13-game Big Ten losing streak that dated back to the 2022 season opener at Northwestern. First-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald finally has a win that his players and fans can point to, and it came against the program’s biggest rival.
The win was also Michigan State’s first over Michigan since 2021, ending a four-game winning streak for the Wolverines in the series. Fitzgerald’s team was missing key players, including four running backs out with injuries, but Brandon Tullis stepped in and ran for a career-high 86 yards. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who missed the previous game with an injury, completed 21 of 32 passes for 188 yards without a turnover, and Chrishon McCray caught six passes for 92 yards.
Michigan State returns home to face Washington on Saturday, November 14, with a chance to build on the upset. The Spartans are still only 3-6, and bowl eligibility remains a long shot, but a win over Michigan in Ann Arbor will be remembered long after the record is forgotten. Tennessee beat Kentucky 34-6 on Saturday behind a defense that shut the Wildcats out in the second half, and Texas beat Missouri 34-20 as Arch Manning led a late comeback. It was a weekend full of statement wins, but few were as surprising as the one in Ann Arbor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Michigan State beat Michigan 15-6 without scoring a touchdown?
Michigan State won on the strength of its kicker and its defense. Liam Boyd made all five of his field goal attempts, and the Spartans defense forced four turnovers, recorded five sacks, and held Michigan to 192 yards of total offense.
Who is Liam Boyd?
Liam Boyd is the Michigan State place kicker. He made five field goals on five attempts against Michigan, including kicks of 26, 38, and 49 yards, and his 49-yard kick with 4:09 left sealed the 15-0 lead before Michigan’s late touchdown.
When was the last time Michigan State beat Michigan before this game?
Michigan State had not beaten Michigan since 2021. The win on November 7, 2026, ended a four-game winning streak for Michigan in the rivalry and gave the Spartans the Paul Bunyan Trophy.
What is the Paul Bunyan Trophy?
The Paul Bunyan Trophy is the trophy awarded to the winner of the Michigan and Michigan State football rivalry game. Michigan State took the trophy back to East Lansing after the 15-6 win in Ann Arbor.
Sources
- NBC Sports: Michigan State makes 5 field goals, forces 4 turnovers and has 5 sacks in 15-6 win over Michigan
- Detroit Free Press: Michigan score as Michigan State completes 15-6 upset of Wolverines
- Lansing State Journal: Pat Fitzgerald stuns Michigan as Kyle Whittingham era keeps sputtering
- Spartans Illustrated: Michigan State kicks past Michigan, 15-6, for first Big Ten victory behind five Liam Boyd field goals
Final Thoughts
Michigan State went into Ann Arbor as a 14.5-point underdog in last place in the Big Ten, and it left with the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The Spartans did it the hard way, with five field goals, four forced turnovers, and a defense that never let Michigan breathe. It was the program’s first win over Michigan since 2021 and its first Big Ten win of the season, and it gave first-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald a night his players will never forget. For Michigan, the loss is a new low in a season that started with high hopes, and the trip to Oregon next week will not make things any easier.
