Earlier this week we asked fans who is Michigan’s biggest rival beyond Ohio State. The results are in and they’re interesting.
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Earlier this week, we asked fans who they feel is Michigan Football’s biggest rival beyond Ohio State . The results are in, and there’s a clear second and third choice.
67% of voters believe the Michigan State Spartans are Michigan’s second-biggest rival while 25% believe it’s the Notre Dame Fighting Irish . Penn State received 7% of the vote and Minnesota just 1%.
The voting this week looks to be spot on. Michigan vs Michigan State became much more competitive during the Mark Dantonio era. Michigan dominated MSU prior to Dantonio’s arrival, winning 30 of 38 contests between 1970 and 2007. Dantonio went 8-5 against the Wolverines, but MSU has gone just 1-3 against Michigan since his departure, losing the last three. The rivalry has had heated moments on the field, there’s been postgame altercations, memorable moments from coaches and players at the microphone, and all the vitriol you can imagine between the fanbases on social media. Michigan State is without a doubt Michigan’s second-biggest rival, while Michigan is far and away Michigan State’s biggest.
Notre Dame still deserved some of the vote here and 25% is a reasonable amount — the two programs have been playing since 1887 and Michigan has a 25-17-1 record against the Fighting Irish. The last time these programs played was in 2019, when Michigan won 45-14. Michigan and ND won’t play again until 2033, so right now the rivalry is on pause. However, the matchup will receive high ratings and national intrigue once 2033 comes around.
How did you vote this week? Let us know in the comments and come back next week for another edition of SB Nation Reacts.
Results courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook .