Michigan State Is Always A Test

Michigan State is limping into Ann Arbor this weekend with its worst record since 2016, but that doesn’t mean that the No. 4 Michigan football team is going to take the game lightly.

Regardless of the Spartans’ 3-4 record and multiple losses to unranked teams, they still hold the gold standard in the in-state rivalry: the Paul Bunyan Trophy and two wins in a row over the Wolverines.

Now, perhaps more than ever, Jim Harbaugh and his players understand that no matter how big of an underdog Michigan State is, Mel Tucker and the Spartans are going to come to play.

“It's a test,” senior wide receiver Cornelius Johnson said. “It's always gonna be there in late October, you're gonna have those guys from up the street come down here or we're gonna have to go up there, and it's gonna be a state championship.”

Johnson, and the rest of the receiving corps, are not concerning themselves as much about what the Spartans will be bringing defensively, preferring to focus on themselves, making sure to do the little things right.

“For us, personally as a receiving room as well as the DBs, we want to make sure we take advantage of what we can do, trusting ourselves, it’s more so about us than them.

Recently, this rivalry’s margins have been razor thin. In fact, the last two games have been decided by a combined 7 points — one touchdown. In close games like that, the slightest mistakes can be the difference between a victory and a defeat.

Cornelius Johnson knows this well.

Last year, a major drop on an early drive versus Wisconsin cost Michigan a possession. But Johnson shook it off, and ended up posting one of his best single game performances, reeling in two touchdowns on the day en route to a convincing win in Camp Randall.

“You’re going to mess up,” Johnson said. “But it's all about responding. And that's what we talked about in the receiving room. It's all about what you do next. It's very critical, it’s just so critical.”

Mistakes are going to happen. In a high pressure, fast-paced game like football, it’s inevitable. What is controllable is how a team responds to those mistakes, and how they prepare to limit those mistakes ahead of time.

Johnson knows this, and maintains that Michigan has been preparing to make sure all the fundamentals are sound, and the Wolverines are ready.

I would say it starts in practice,” Johnson said. “And then it (translates) over to the stadium, because you know what we do here? You guys probably don't see it. You know, it's not all over TV, all over the media. But those critical reps and practice do actually carry on over to Main Street.”

But even with this emphasis on the little things, Michigan knows when the Paul Bunyan trophy is at stake, anything can happen. But the Wolverines are ready, finally, for the chance to take Paul back.

Coach says it's going to be a battle,” Johnson said. “... I'm really excited for the opportunity this week.”