TEN YEARS AFTER: THE LAST DECADE OF MICHIGAN STATE vs MICHIGAN FOOTBALL

The ninth season of the Mark Dantonio Era is well underway, with the Spartans riding a 12-game win-streak and standing pat during the bye week at 8-0. Much still to be determined this year. But as we get ready to come out of the mid-season break we take a look at the football series between Michigan State and Michigan.

Everybody knows by now that Michigan State has out-performed and generally surpassed Michigan in football under Dantonio, especially in the last five years. But what about the last decade? UM fans are always heralding history, telling us that MSU has "only been good recently", as if it's just a passing fad or a blip on the sports screen. So let's take a look at the two programs compared to each other over the last 10 years of college football.

Wolverine fans are constantly bragging about their "all-time wins record", but to do so, they are actually counting rugby scrimmages from the late 1800s as "football". There's no way to stop those people, but we don't have to believe in their mythology. Anyway, a decade is definitely a significant measuring stick, so here we go.

Last 10 Football Games Between MSU and UM

2015:  MSU won by 4 (27-23)

2014:  MSU won by 24 (35-11)

2013:  MSU won by 23 (29-6)

2012:  UM won by 2 (12-10)

2011:  MSU won by 14 (28-14)

2010:  MSU won by 17 (34-17)

2009:  MSU won by 6 (26-20, OT)

2008:  MSU won by 14 (35-21)

2007:  UM won by 4 (28-24)

2006:  UM won by 18 (31-13)

• Ten Game Record = MSU 7, UM 3
• Total Points = MSU 261, UM 183 (MSU +78 points)

You can see from the summary above that over the last ten years of the series, MSU has taken charge, winning both big and small, both home and away. (Important to note that this "Ten-Year Picture" will not change much to favor UM the next couple of seasons, even if the Wolverines win the next two games, as the game count for the decade would remain 7-3, MSU.)

Let's continue by summarizing the season results for each team over the past decade, not including the present season which is still in progress.

SEASON RESULTS OVER THE LAST DECADE

Michigan State Spartans

2005:  5-6, Ninth Place, no bowl

2006:  4-8, Tenth Place, no bowl

2007:  7-6, Seventh Place, bowl loss

2008:  9-4, Third Place, bowl loss

2009:  6-7, Sixth Place, bowl loss

2010:  11-2, First Place (B1G), bowl loss

2011:  11-3, First Place (division), Bowl Win

2012:  7-6, Fourth Place (division), Bowl Win

2013:  13-1, First Place (B1G), Rose Bowl Champion

2014:  11-2, Second Place (division), Cotton Bowl Champion

• MSU TEN YEAR TOTAL = 84-45 (.651)
• Current Bowl Games in a row = 8
• Total Bowl Victories = 4
• Current Bowl Win Streak = 4
• Biggest Bowl Win Streak = 4
• League Championships = 2
• Division Titles = 2

Michigan Wolverines

2005:  7-5, Third Place, bowl loss

2006:  11-2, Second Place, bowl loss

2007:  9-4, Second Place, Bowl Win

2008:  3-9, Tenth Place, no bowl

2009:  5-7, Tenth Place, no bowl

2010:  7-6, Seventh Place, bowl loss

2011:  11-2, Second Place (division), Bowl Win

2012:  8-5, Second Place (division), bowl loss

2013:  7-6, Fifh Place (division), bowl loss

2014:  5-7, Fourth Place (division), no bowl

• UM TEN YEAR TOTAL = 73-53 (.580)
• Current Bowl Games in a row = 0
• Total Bowl Victories = 2
• Current Bowl Win Streak = 0
• Biggest Bowl Win Streak = 1
• League Championships = 0
• Division Titles = 0

BOTTOM LINE:  Mark Dantonio promised that MSU would "measure up" when he took over the job in 2007, and the Spartans have done so, by winning league championships, division titles, and bowl games. By comparison to Michigan, Michigan State has won more rivalry games, they have a better bowl streak in progress, as well as a better bowl-win streak. The series is starting to become uneven when measuring total points scored.

+++++

Care to compare these numbers from two years ago?

Click Here for a similar summary compiled just after the 2014 Rose Bowl.

---------

Tweet ****** Click on NO COMMENTS (or # comments) below to enter and view reader comments.   ----- Remember to check Spartan Headline links, updated real time, in the left column of SpartanResource.com (Web version only). *****Note: If you are receiving this post via automated email, you need to go to the site to view headline links and embedded videos in this post: http://spartanresource.com/ (Web version only). SIGN UP TO RECEIVE POSTS VIA EMAIL, TWITTER OR FACEBOOK IN THE RIGHT COLUMN.*****