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Paul Bunyan Trophy
Teams	Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans
Originated	1953
Trophy Series	Michigan leads, 34–21–2
Current Holder	Michigan State
Michigan (34) 1954 1955 1964 1968 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1985 1986 1988 1989 1991 1992 1994 1996 1997 1998 2000 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007	Michigan State (21) 1953 1956 1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1965 1966 1967 1969 1978 1984 1987 1990 1993 1995 1999 2001 2008 2009
Ties (2) 1958 1963

The Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game. Michigan State currently holds the trophy with their 26–20 victory in East Lansing, on October 3, 2009.^[1]

The naming of the trophy after the mythical giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan reflects Michigan's history as a major lumber-producing state. The trophy was first presented in 1953 (State's first year as a full Big Ten member) by then-governor G. Mennen Williams, and is a four-foot-high wooden statue on a five-foot-high base.

The Paul Bunyan Trophy is not to be confused with Paul Bunyan's Axe, which is annually given to the winner of the game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Minnesota Golden Gophers, both of which are also in the Big Ten Conference.

History

The overall series record is 67–30–5 in favor of Michigan, and since Michigan State achieved Big Ten membership in 1953, it is 34–21–2 for Michigan. Until Michigan State joined the Big Ten, all but a few games were played in Ann Arbor.^[2] MSU's only real period of dominance in the series' history was from 1950 to 1969, where they went 14–4–2. Michigan holds long winning streaks of six (2002–2007), eight (1970–77), and 10 games (1938–49), and an 18-game unbeaten streak from 1916 to 1933, in series history.

In 2001, the game ended on a controversial last-second play where Michigan State quarterback Jeff Smoker threw a touchdown pass to T.J. Duckett to win the game. The game became known as Clockgate. The Wolverines had contended that the clock had run out of time before the last play of the game took place; video evidence of this was examined by several media stations and the Big Ten commissioner of referees declared that the clock call was correct. Still, this led to a Big Ten rule change that control of the game clock would be held by a game official instead of a school representative.

The game on October 25, 2008, in Ann Arbor. Early in the game there was a controversial touchdown by a Michigan wide receiver who only was able to get his foot on a pylon, it was reviewed and the referee called it a touchdown. The commissioner of the Big Ten later said the call was wrong.^[3] It was the first UM–MSU game for new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez who, like his four immediate predecessors, lost his first meeting with MSU. The game was won by MSU 35–21.

The most recent meeting took place on October 3, 2009, in East Lansing. The undefeated, 22nd-ranked, Wolverines were still the underdog to the 1-3 Spartans, but Michigan State took the lead in the first quarter and held it for much of the game, extending the lead to 20–6 with a touchdown 11 seconds into the fourth quarter. However, Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier rallied to tie it up 20–20 with a touchdown pass with 2 seconds remaining. Michigan State then intercepted Forcier in overtime and won, 26–20, to retain the trophy. It marked the first time Michigan State had won in back-to-back years since winning three straight from 1965 to 1967.

Game results

See also

• Other Michigan State traveling trophies:
  • Megaphone Trophy (with Notre Dame)
  • Old Brass Spittoon (with Indiana)
  • Land Grant Trophy (with Penn State)
• Other Michigan traveling trophies:
  • Little Brown Jug (with Minnesota)

References

External links

• Michigan–Michigan State Series History
• MGoBlue's Paul Bunyan Trophy page