The Michigan State Spartans (4-3) are looking to revitalize their identity as a top team in the Big Ten and a national contender. That process will hang in the balance this Saturday night when they travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines (4-3).

A win for the Spartans would break a two-year drought in this rivalry and speak volumes about the direction head coach Jonathan Smith is taking this program. Smith inherited one of the worst situations in college football with a team that finished 4-8 last season and fired the head coach midway through the season.

Not to mention the fact that most of the team entered the transfer window in the offseason, Smith had to bring in several new coaches and players to start his regime on a positive note. So far, he has done that, as the Spartans have as many wins as they did a year ago.

Collecting the Paul Bunyan Trophy in Ann Arbor would mean something sweet for the Spartans who haven’t been able to do so in enemy territory since 2020. If Smith can start his career in East Lansing with a road win against their in-state rival, the program will be on the fast track to success.

Should the Spartans lose on Saturday night, it would be a good gauge of how far this program is from competing for a conference championship and a College Football Playoff berth. He would drop to 4-4 on the year and look like he would leave a lot on the field in a very winnable game.