First Battle for Bunyan | MSU 14, U-M 6 (11/14/1953)
To “celebrate” Michigan State’s admission to the Big Ten, Michigan governor G. Mennen Williams presents the Paul Bunyan Trophy, a four foot tall wooden carving of the legendary lumberjack. Led by Earl Morrall, the Spartans win their first Big Ten meeting with the Wolverines in Biggie Munn’s final season.
While Michigan State went 11-4-2 in the first 17 years of the trophy rivalry, Michigan would go 20-5 over the next quarter century, and 30-12 since 1970.
