Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall spearheaded No. 25 Michigan’s formidable ground attack, combining for over 260 rushing yards and three touchdowns to overcome a challenging Michigan State in a 31-20 victory. This crucial win not only extends Michigan’s rivalry dominance but also secures their postseason eligibility for the fourth time in five years before Halloween, showcasing the Wolverines’ reliance on a powerful run game and timely defensive stops.
The #25 Michigan Wolverines delivered a decisive 31-20 victory over rival Michigan State on Saturday night, October 25, 2025, primarily fueled by a relentless ground game. This pivotal win at Spartan Stadium not only improved Michigan’s season record to 6-2 (4-1 Big Ten) but also ensured their postseason eligibility before Halloween, a feat accomplished for the fourth time in the last five years, as reported by Michigan Athletics.
For the Michigan State Spartans, the loss extended their losing streak to five games, dropping their season record to 3-5 (0-5 Big Ten). Despite moments of defensive resilience, their struggles to convert on critical fourth downs and a persistent penalty problem ultimately hindered their upset bid against their in-state rival.
Haynes and Marshall Form a Potent Rushing Tandem
The Wolverines’ offensive strategy was clear: run the ball. This approach proved incredibly effective, compensating for a modest passing game. Head Coach Sherrone Moore lauded his backfield, stating, “We’ve got a good running back tandem that plays physical and wears you down.” Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood echoed this sentiment, crediting his running backs for stepping up on a night where he threw for a season-low 86 yards, according to NCAA.com.
- Justice Haynes, returning from an abdominal injury that sidelined him last week, was the undisputed star, carrying the ball 26 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns. This marked his third multi-touchdown game of the season and his sixth game surpassing 100 rushing yards. His performance was the most rushing yards by a Wolverine in the rivalry series since Blake Corum’s 177 yards in 2022, and he became the first Wolverine with multiple rushing touchdowns against the Spartans since Corum in 2020.
- Jordan Marshall complemented Haynes’ efforts with 110 rushing yards and a crucial 56-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that sealed Michigan’s victory. This was Marshall’s second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, marking the second time this season that two Wolverines surpassed the 100-yard mark on the ground in a single contest.
The offensive line, utilizing its fifth different starting combination in eight games and featuring Blake Frazier in his first career start at left tackle, was instrumental in this success, paving the way for 21 rushing touchdowns this season while only allowing 10 sacks.
Defensive Stands and Rolder’s Career Day
While the offense pounded the ground, Michigan’s defense made critical plays that swung the momentum. Linebacker Jimmy Rolder had a career-defining performance, finishing with a career-high 10 tackles. Rolder’s impact was felt early and often:
- He recovered his first career fumble in the first quarter, forced by defensive back Brandyn Hillman, who also recorded his first career forced turnover. This marks Michigan’s commitment to generating turnovers, having forced at least one in every game this season and multiple in five of eight contests.
- Rolder broke up a crucial two-point conversion attempt by Michigan State in the fourth quarter.
- Later, he shot through the gap to stop Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles’ fourth-and-1 sneak, turning the ball over on downs and squashing a Spartan scoring opportunity.
Edge rusher Derrick Moore also continued his disruptive season, tallying two sacks for the second consecutive game. The Wolverines’ defense proved particularly stingy in the second half and fourth quarters, allowing only four field goals and four touchdowns in fourth quarters all season, and just seven touchdowns and four field goals across seven second halves. Their ability to get off the field was evident, holding the Spartans to just 5-of-16 on third-down conversions.
Rivalry Dominance Continues with Paul Bunyan Trophy Secure
Michigan’s victory extends their winning streak in the rivalry series against Michigan State to four straight games, the longest streak since the Wolverines won six straight from 2002-07. Head Coach Sherrone Moore has now led Michigan to a 2-0 record against the Spartans. This continued dominance means the iconic Paul Bunyan Trophy remains in Ann Arbor.
All-time, Michigan holds a commanding 75-38-5 record in 118 meetings between the two programs. In the 73 games where the Paul Bunyan Trophy has been on the line, the Wolverines maintain a significant 42-29-2 advantage, further cementing their historical upper hand in this heated Big Ten matchup.
