Happy Paul Bunyan Day, everyone. What better way to celebrate this incredible rivalry than with some Michigan State praise coming from a Michigan legend?
That’s right, we’re celebrating the big day with some Jalen Rose praise for Michigan State hoops after a nice start to the season this week.
Rose appeared on TNT following the first day of games and picked his Final Four.
And he chose Michigan State as one of his four national semifinalists.
University of Michigan legend @JalenRose has Michigan State in his Final Four 👀 pic.twitter.com/6353JFZKfA
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) November 3, 2026
”I can’t allow the fact that I’m a Wolverine get in the way of greatness,” Rose said.
What a stand-up take. Rose alluded to the fact that Michigan State has one of the nation’s best players in Jeremy Fears, it usually gets a pass to the Sweet 16 every year (debatable, but we’ll take the praise), and Tom Izzo is one of the best to ever do it. Oh, and the fact that it’s in Detroit is going to help matters. The motivation will be there.
Rose also picked Illinois, Florida, and Duke to make the Final Four which would give the Big Ten two teams, the ACC one, and the SEC one much like the 2000 Final Four when it was MSU, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and those same Gators.
Let’s hope history repeats itself if that does come to fruition.
But hey, we’ll take a prediction from Rose to make the Final Four. This may have been his attempt at jinxing it, but he had way too many nice things to say about Michigan State.
Tom Izzo feels the pressure
The pressure that Izzo is facing this season with the Final Four in Detroit and his career winding down would crush any normal person.
Izzo is not a normal person.
The Hall of Fame head coach has to feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he has a really good team to shoulder some of that load. The Spartans have one of the deepest and most talented teams in the country from the 12th man all the way to Fears.
This team is loaded and it’s playing completely different than it did during the preseason when it struggled against UConn and Marquette.
It’s good to see the Spartans finally get some respect from the national media, especially when it comes from a Wolverine. It makes it even sweeter than Rose didn’t even pick his alma mater — the reigning national champs — to make the Final Four in Detroit.
You love to see it.
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