We’re only a month away from college football’s return, and thanks to a coaching change, Michigan State may finally have someone who takes the Michigan rivalry seriously again.
Jonathan Smith couldn’t win “that sucker” and he went bowl-less in two years so he’s out and former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is in. And he knows how to treat the rivalry. He knows how important this game is going to be, and he’s hoping to pull off some early “upsets” until he’s no longer the underdog against the Wolverines.
There have been plenty of Michigan State upsets over Michigan over the years, but these are the five biggest since 2000. Hopefully we can add a Fitzgerald win or two on here soon.
Note: Remember, this is since 2000.
1. “Clockgate” (2001) — MSU 26, UM 24
One of the greatest Michigan vs. Michigan State games ever, “Clockgate” will always be controversial because of that one second left on the clock when Jeff Smoker spiked the ball after getting tackled on a scramble to his right. The clock appeared to stop maybe a millisecond prematurely, but I’m not buying all the “that shouldn’t have happened” nonsense because Michigan players were laying on top of smoker for a second or two so he couldn’t get up to snap the ball.
Either way, this was a massive upset as 4-2 Michigan State took down No. 4 Michigan on this legendary last-second pass from Smoker to TJ Duckett over the wailing arms of a couple of Wolverine defenders.
The call still gives me chills.
2. Larry Caper walks it off (2009) — MSU 26, UM 20 (OT)
Anyone who’s around my age feels a certain nostalgia about this game and it honestly might be the most forgotten of the great Spartan wins in the rivalry. Michigan was coming in with all the momentum and trash talk, sitting at 4-0 and ranked No. 20 while Michigan State was just 1-3 after losing to Central Michigan (dang you, Dan LeFevour), Notre Dame, and Wisconsin in back-to-back-to-back games.
This should have been an easy win for the Wolverines, but Michigan State had other ideas. Michigan State controlled most of the game and held a 20-6 lead in the fourth quarter, but Michigan stormed back to tie things up with a 92-yard drive that was capped off with a touchdown with two seconds left.
Michigan failed to score on their overtime possession so all Michigan State needed was a field goal to win. Larry Caper decided to walk it off with a hard-fought touchdown and the stadium erupted.
3. The Ricky White Game (2020) — MSU 27, UM 24
Why is a game that was played in front of zero fans considered an “upset”? Well, Michigan State was in a brand new era for the first time in almost 15 years as Mel Tucker replaced a retired Mark Dantonio and he lost his first game of that 2020 season at home to Rutgers. The season was looking like it was about to spiral out of control and Michigan was next on the schedule; the Wolverines were somewhere in the ballpark of 21-point favorites.
Michigan State played like the favorite, though. Ricky White had himself a monster receiving game as a true freshman, breaking some records, and Rocky Lombardi was airing it out.
Michigan just could not stop White. Some might argue this is the biggest upset in the rivalry since 2000, but Michigan fell off after this back-breaking loss.
4. “The Monsoon” (2017) — MSU 14, UM 10
Everyone remembers “The Monsoon” of 2017 where the skies opened up on the Michigan vs. Michigan State game in Ann Arbor and apparently the Wolverines were the only team affected by the rain. That’s right, it only rained on Michigan the entire game. That’s what Michigan fans like to claim.
The game was only won by Michigan State because of the rain apparently. Yet before it started raining, the underdog Spartans were controlling the game and had the lead.
Coming off a 3-9 season where nothing went right, Michigan State was a serious underdog in this one — ESPN gave Michigan around an 85 percent chance to win. Brian Lewerke, Joe Bachie, and the Spartans marched into Ann Arbor and out-toughed Michigan to spark a 10-win rebound season.
5. Isaiah Lewis closes the door (2011) — MSU 28, UM 14
Michigan State was 4-1 entering this matchup, having just jumped into the AP Top 25 after beating Ohio State 10-7, while Michigan was 6-0 and ranked No. 11.
It was a pretty close game until the third quarter when Michigan State scored 14 straight to take a commanding 21-7 lead into the fourth. Michigan pulled within one score in the fourth before Isaiah Lewis sealed the win with a 39-yard pick-six to win by two scores.
Not the biggest upset, but an upset nonetheless.
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