Michigan football has officially wrested control of the rivalry from MSU

Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin answers three questions after Michigan football defeated Michigan State football, 49-0, on Saturday in East Lansing.

Could MSU make this game competitive?

Before Saturday, the Spartans’ terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad season had already been declared a disaster. The Mel Tucker scandal that triggered his ouster last month also sent MSU off track. Four straight losses followed, leaving the Spartans in dire straits as they entered their showdown with mighty Michigan — a team that was firing on all cylinders. No one gave them much of a chance to beat the Wolverines, and MSU extracted some motivation from being heavy underdogs.

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“Y’all can doubt us all you want,” sophomore cornerback Dillon Tatum said earlier this week. “But we’re going to come out there and give them our best shot…We’re going to go out there and ball, I believe. And I believe we’re going to win.”

Narrator: They didn’t.

The Spartans weren’t even competitive in their worst home loss in program history.

Michigan promptly marched down the field on its first possession during a 12-yard, 84-yard touchdown drive highlighted by a pair of back-breaking third-down conversions. It was the opening salvo during a 30-minute beatdown in which the Wolverines built a 28-0 lead before halftime. At nearly every turn, the Spartans were outmanned and outwitted, looking nothing like the team that beat Michigan in a 60-minute slugfest on this same field two years ago. The box score revealed the extent of the horror. The Spartans conceded 477 yards and only gained 190. They picked up only 10 first downs and surrendered 29. They never advanced farther than Michigan’s 20-yard line, yet allowed the Wolverines’ offense to breach the end zone six times. And if that wasn't enough, MSU was outscored by Michigan’s defense, which had a 72-yard pick-six. It was a dreadful performance — just the latest during a wretched season that can’t end soon enough.

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Has Michigan wrested control of the rivalry?

Back in 2019, Michigan was on the cusp of regaining control in this heated rivalry. The Wolverines clobbered the Spartans in a 44-10 win 2½ months before Mark Dantonio announced his retirement. Dantonio’s legacy was defined by his success against Michigan. He was 8-5 against the Wolverines, becoming a constant thorn in their side. With the curmudgeonly coach on his way out, it was an opportune time for Michigan to regain the upper hand. But the Wolverines blew it in 2020, falling to MSU in a game they entered as 24½-point favorites. Then they lost in a top-10 clash with the unbeaten Spartans the following year. MSU fans gleefully poked at their Michigan counterparts then, citing Tucker’s undefeated record against their rivals. But since that win in 2021, the Spartans have fallen hard. They are 6-14 in their past 20 Power Five games, including two lopsided defeats to Michigan. With a coaching change on the horizon, it’s hard to envision when MSU will challenge the Wolverines again. Michigan, after all, has never been better in Harbaugh’s tenure, with a 33-3 record since it bottomed out in 2020.

The 49-0 rout Saturday was reminiscent of the Wolverines’ 49-3 win over the Spartans in 2002 that began a streak of six straight U-M victories in the series. One wonders if Michigan is about to go on a similar run as the two programs continue to travel in opposite directions.

Is J.J. McCarthy on the verge of becoming the best QB in college football?

Jim Harbaugh is known to shower his players with exaggerated praise. But when he told reporters Monday that J.J. McCarthy is “on the path to be the best quarterback in Michigan history,” his statement seemed eminently credible. Perhaps Harbaugh could have gone a step further: It’s becoming increasingly apparent that McCarthy deserves consideration as the top quarterback in college football.

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He entered Saturday ranked No. 1 among all eligible passers in total QBR. Then he shredded the Spartans, completing 21 of 27 pass attempts for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

The scintillating performance was highlighted by a series of off-platform throws that were delivered with pinpoint accuracy. They led to big gains for Michigan and simultaneously demoralized the Spartans.

But it’s nothing new for McCarthy, who is piecing together a majestic stat line this season. It features a 78.1% completion rate, an 18-to-3 touchdown-interception ratio and a whopping 10.6 yards-per-attempt average. There is a reason why Harbaugh, who knows a thing or two about quarterbacks, is so enamored with McCarthy: He’s just that good.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football has ripped control of rivalry from Michigan State