The annual showdown between Michigan and Michigan State doesn't need more than bragging rights to bring out the best in both football teams. When the game has Big Ten implications, it just adds more juice to a heated rivalry.
Thanks to the Spartans' 21-17 upset at Penn State last weekend, both teams head into Saturday's matchup at Spartan Stadium with aspirations of winning the conference title.
The sixth-ranked Wolverines (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) have won six straight and are tied with Ohio State atop the Eastern Division standings. No. 24 Michigan State (4-2, 2-1) is tied with Maryland in third place, 1 1/2 games behind the top pair.