For the second straight time in a decided game, Michigan State men's soccer is taking home the Big Bear Trophy after beating No. 5 Michigan on the road on Friday night, 2-1.
It was a tight game throughout, and the scoring didn't even start until about the 50-minute mark.
Miles Merritt untied the 0-0 game with a penalty kick goal, but Michigan wasted no time knotting things up at 1-1 five minutes later. Then, only eight minutes after that Michigan goal, Richie Ludwig scored the eventual game-winner at the 63-minute mark. It was a flurry of goals, but nothing for the rest of the game, delivering Michigan State its second straight win in the rivalry. The last win came in 2022, but the last two games ended in ties.
The Big Bear Trophy hasn't resided in Ann Arbor since April of 2021 after not recording a win in the past five matchups. This win over the No. 5 team in the country also marked the men's soccer team's second straight top-five win this week -- the first time that's happened in a week in program history.
SPARTANS STUN NO. 5 MICHIGAN IN THE BATTLE FOR THE BIG BEAR TROPHY 🚨
— Big Ten Soccer (@B1GSoccer) September 27, 2025
This is the first time @MSU_MSoccer has taken down two top-5 opponents in the same week in program history 👏 pic.twitter.com/HsPZsajwO2
Michigan State improves to 5-4 on the season and 2-2 in Big Ten play. This is Michigan's first loss of the season, and it came on the Wolverines' own field.
Longtime head coach Damon Rensing has to be thrilled with the win for the program. The more wins over the in-state rival, the better for recruiting and overall program direction. The program hasn't truly made noise since 2018 when it went to the semifinal of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Akron.
Maybe the tides are changing in East Lansing.