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University of Michigan Athletics

Saturday, November 16
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Noon

Michigan

44
vs
10

Michigan State

Shea Patterson

Wolverines Retain Paul Bunyan Trophy in Rout of MSU

11/16/2019 5:13:00 PM | Football

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #14 Michigan 44, Michigan State 10
Records: U-M (8-2), MSU (4-6)
Attendance: 111,496
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Nov. 23 -- at Indiana (Bloomington, Ind.), 3:30 p.m.

Postgame Press Conferences: Coach Harbaugh | Players
Kornacki: How Paul Bunyan Trophy, Game Ball Went to Patterson

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 14-ranked University of Michigan football team retained the Paul Bunyan Trophy in resounding fashion in its rivalry game against Michigan State on Saturday (Nov. 16), routing the Spartans in a 44-10 victory at Michigan Stadium.

Between career-best days for quarterback Shea Patterson and wide receiver Ronnie Bell and a dominant performance from the Michigan defense, the Wolverines racked up a 34-point win that matches the third-largest margin in the 67-year history of the Paul Bunyan Trophy dating back to 1953.

Patterson exceeded his Michigan career highs in passing touchdowns (four) and yards (384), with 150 of those yards directed at Bell in his first 100-yard receiving game. In Patterson's final 25 pass attempts, he missed on only four, and his 384 yards were the most by a U-M quarterback in the Michigan-Michigan State series.

Powered by leading tackler Jordan Glasgow with eight and Ambry Thomas with six tackles and one of Michigan's two interceptions on the day, the Wolverines held Michigan State to 54 yards rushing overall -- the fourth time this year the Wolverines have allowed fewer than 60 yards on the ground.

The defense was stellar throughout, but especially so in the second half against the run. Michigan State mustered only 11 yards rushing over the third and fourth quarters, with three of its seven possessions in the half ending in turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Wolverines rattled off eight scoring drives, which included seven straight -- one a season-best 98-yard march.

Those factors combined to give Michigan its biggest victory over the Spartans since a 49-3 home decision in 2002, and it is the third-largest Michigan win in the Paul Bunyan Trophy series behind a 42-0 shutout of the Spartans in East Lansing in 1983. It matches the Spartans' largest win in the series (34-0, 1967).

Neither team was able to get much traction on their opening drives of the first quarter, but Michigan State got on the scoreboard first. Thomas and Josh Metellus momentarily kept the Spartans off scoreless when they dragged the MSU receiver down inside the 1-yard line on a play that was initially ruled a touchdown but overturned upon video review. Michigan State found the end zone one play later on a rollout pass to the right to take a 7-0 lead with 1:48 remaining in the opening quarter.

Jump-started by a 17-yard return by Giles Jackson -- complete with a hurdle over a would-be Spartan tackler -- on the ensuing kickoff, the Wolverines responded in kind. Patterson completed four consecutive passes, including two to Nico Collins and a key eight-yard toss to Donovan Peoples-Jones, who drew a crucial MSU personal foul on a late hit out-of-bounds -- each on the left side of the field. He reversed the field on the fourth, with Bell weaving through the right side of the Spartan defense down to the 3-yard line to close out the first quarter.

Michigan needed just 31 seconds and two direct-snap, wildcat formation rushes up the middle for Hassan Haskins to cap a seven-play scoring drive and knot the score at 7 early in the second quarter.

#BeatState

The Spartans looked poised to answer back on their next possession after a 20-yard completion appeared to advance MSU to the Michigan 37-yard line. After the play, Michigan State was dinged with a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, pushing the Green and White back 30 yards for a net loss of 10 yards on the play. Though not able to fully recover from the setback, the Spartans were able to break into Michigan territory before punting down to the U-M 2-yard line.

Despite the field position, the Wolverines embarked on a 12-play, 98-yard scoring drive -- its longest of the season -- to take a 14-7 lead.

Patterson connected with Peoples-Jones on a third-and-7 pass on the left sideline to give Michigan some room to operate, and followed it up with a 15-yard rush of his own. Consecutive 18- and nine-yard passes to Bell advanced U-M into MSU territory, and a 14-yard rush by Zach Charbonnet put the Wolverines in striking range.

Two plays and 11 yards later, Patterson went to Collins in the right corner of the end zone in a play that resulted in a Michigan State pass interference call and a Michigan First down at the MSU two-yard line. Two plays later, Patterson found Nick Eubanks in the end zone for a five-yard score to give the Wolverines the lead with 4:18 to play in the first half.

The Michigan defense stifled Michigan State's offense into a three-and-out, and then it was back to work for Patterson and Co. One play after hitting Bell for a seven-yard gain, he went back to a wide-open Bell down the right side of the field. Bell sprinted down the sideline and, despite some fancy footwork in the red zone, was finally pushed out-of-bounds at the MSU 11. The drive stalled out there, but a 28-yard field goal from Quinn Nordin extended Michigan's lead to 10 points, 17-7.

The halftime intermission did nothing to diminish the Michigan momentum. Thomas intercepted Lewerke on the fourth play of the second half, setting the Wolverines up just beyond midfield for another scoring drive.

Having already surpassed his career-best receiving yards total in the first half, Bell kicked off the second by laying down a big block on the left side to clear the way for a 19-yard gain by Sean McKeon on a screen pass from Patterson. It was his turn to get the ball two plays later as he caught a pass up the middle for 20 yards to move Michigan into the red zone at the MSU 18.

Peoples-Jones finished the drive as far right on the field as possible as he caught a screen pass from Patterson, escaped an ankle tackle at the line of scrimmage and tiptoed down the right sideline. Inside the five, he dove for the end zone as an MSU defender attempted to force him out-of-bounds, but he was able to outstretch his arm over the pylon to extend the Michigan lead to 24-7 with 12:40 left in the quarter.

Though the Spartans were able to drive down to the Michigan 16-yard line on the ensuing drive, the Wolverine defense limited the response to a 35-yard field goal to keep it a two-score game, 24-10.

Michigan got those points back on its next possession as it put together a fifth straight scoring drive. The Wolverines looked to be on the march towards another touchdown when Patterson connected with Tarik Black for a 27-yard strike to the MSU 23, but a post-play penalty pushed them back to the MSU 38. Michigan returned to the edge of the MSU end zone after a third-and-20 pass to McKeon for 27 yards placed the ball at the MSU 21, but the U-M offense could only muster a 49-yard Nordin field goal to extend the lead back to 17 points, 27-10, with 2:13 left in the third.

The following Michigan State drive lasted just four plays before the Michigan defense smothered it. Before the Spartans could punt it away, Khaleke Hudson blasted through the right side of the Michigan State formation and blocked the attempt, sending the ball careening back to the Spartans' 22-yard line. Patterson needed just one pass to find Collins streaking across the front of the end zone for a touchdown, ballooning the Michigan lead to 24 points, 34-10, with just under 15 minutes to play.

Though the game clock continue to wind down, the Michigan defense did not. Just two plays into the next MSU drive, Lavert Hill picked off Lewerke's pass in Spartan territory, advancing it to the MSU 44.

The Wolverines found themselves facing a third-and-19 at the MSU 30-yard line, and Patterson hit Peoples-Jones on the left sideline and he, once more, appeared to tightrope walk along the line en route to his second touchdown of the game. Upon review, it was deemed he stepped out-of-bounds after 15 yards, ultimately short of a first down by four yards.

Still, Nordin nailed his third field goal of the day -- this time from 33 yards -- for a seventh straight scoring drive and a 27-point lead, 37-10, with just over 10 minutes to go.

Michigan State had two opportunities to start something in the meantime, with an initial drive and punt that resulted in a Michigan fumble on the return, recovered by the Spartans. The Wolverine defense shut down that drive, as well, setting the Wolverines up for another scoring drive.

Powered by 15 yards rushing for Wilson and a timely MSU unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the drive resulted in Patterson's fourth touchdown pass of the day, this time to Cornelius Johnson for the first of his collegiate career. With 2:33 to go in the game, the Wolverines pushed the lead to 34 points, 44-10.

Even with less than two minutes to go, the Michigan defense did not relent, forcing a net 10-yard loss on the Spartans' final offensive possession.

The Wolverines will be in action next Saturday (Nov. 23), for a contest 3:30 p.m. contest at Indiana.