ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan State snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday by defeating rival Michigan 15-6 at Michigan Stadium, pushing the Wolverines into a late-season crisis over their stagnant offense.
The Spartans held Michigan out of the end zone until 1:35 remained in the fourth quarter, relying entirely on five field goals to reclaim the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The outcome dropped the Wolverines to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten play, leaving first-year head coach Kyle Whittingham publicly questioning his team’s execution and preparation.
“Really, I can’t come up with one positive offensively in this game,” Whittingham said during his postgame press conference, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “It’s not one step back, it’s three steps back. Couldn’t run the ball, couldn’t throw the ball worth a darn. Turned it over four times. Couldn’t make first downs.”
Total Breakdown on Offense
Entering Saturday, Michigan State had gone winless in conference play under new coach Pat Fitzgerald and ranked among the lowest-scoring teams in the country. Yet the Spartans defense repeatedly battered the Wolverines, sacking freshman quarterback Tommy Carr five times and forcing four turnovers, including two Carr interceptions and two lost fumbles.
Michigan was limited to 192 total yards on 52 offensive snaps, converting only two of 10 third downs and managing 54 rushing yards on 26 carries. The Wolverines trailed 6-0 at halftime and 9-0 entering the fourth period, marking the third consecutive home contest in which Michigan failed to score a single point before the break, Roundtable Sports reported.
Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who had been listed as questionable before kickoff, completed 21 of 32 passes for 188 yards without committing a turnover, according to ClutchPoints.
Running back Savion Hiter finally broke the drought for Michigan with a late touchdown run, but the score left the Wolverines needing two possessions with under two minutes on the clock.
Underwood Decision and Coordinator Scrutiny
Saturday marked Carr’s third start of the year after replacing Bryce Underwood. Whittingham acknowledged to reporters that the coaching staff had weighed putting Underwood into the contest and admitted afterward that they should have made the switch, Roundtable Sports reported.
The sputtering attack has intensified scrutiny on offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who joined Whittingham in Ann Arbor following a prolific campaign directing Utah’s offense in 2025. Outside of a 28-21 victory at Rutgers in Week 9, the Wolverines have not exceeded 21 points against any power conference opponent this fall.
When questioned about potential staff changes, Whittingham indicated he would wait until the winter to review performance.
“Not right now,” Whittingham said, according to Yahoo Sports. “As I’m sitting here at this podium, no, but at some point you’ve got to have results. It’s a result-driven business and it’s a bottom-line business and I’ll evaluate everything after the season and determine what the best course of action is.”
Bowl Hopes on the Line
Michigan now faces an uphill climb to secure the six wins required for postseason eligibility. The Wolverines close the regular season with a daunting three-game stretch against three ranked opponents: a road trip to face No. 23 Oregon next Saturday, followed by a home matchup with No. 8 UCLA and the annual finale at No. 12 Ohio State.
