EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The hail started to ping off the turf at Spartan Stadium as Michigan's defense closed in on Michigan State's quarterback one final time. Consider it a parting wink from the football gods, who threw all the elements of an upset at the Wolverines on Saturday before watching them celebrate a cathartic, emotional 21-7 victory in East Lansing.
Michigan State has held its in-state rival in mental captivity for almost the entirety of head coach Mark Dantonio's dominant, 12-year tenure in the annual series. Through physical punishment, through wild finishes, through pouring rain and deluges of turnovers, the Spartans had won eight of the past 10 meetings heading into Saturday's game.