Michigan State vs Michigan: Rivalry Game Will Be Epic Due to Top 25 Rankings

The Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines have not played one another as Top 25 teams since 1998.

It’s quite hard to picture, especially considering the success of the two programs over the past few years and fact that they generally play at least twice a season as members of the Big Ten.

This is an old rivalry that stems back to 1909, with Michigan holding a 93-74 edge over Sparty, but scandal sanctions and vacated wins brings the official tally to down to 86-71 in favor of the Wolverines.

Michigan is on a two-game win streak over their rival and now are hoping to gain some more traction in the Top 25 polls by continuing that run today. They are currently 14-4 on the season (4-2 in the Big Ten) and No. 20 in the AP poll and are facing an opponent that is 15-3 (4-1) and ranked No. 9.

The line (via ScoresAndOdds.com) had originally been set at Michigan State -2, but it has moved to a pick ‘em as bettors realized that anyone could win this game, especially considering the stakes.

Noah Trister, AP sportswriter, found that Michigan senior guard Stu Douglass isn’t content with beating up on the Spartans last year.

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"We've still got a ways to go before we get our program to the level where they've been at. They've gotten to Final Fours, and they've been very good the past 10, 15 years," Douglass said. "We respect them a lot, but we can't dwell on sweeping them last year and thinking it was the greatest thing ever. I want to go out and sweep them again this year." 

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Trister also noted that State’s forward Draymond Green feels passionately about knocking the Wolverines out.

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"I never want to lose to Michigan," Green said. "And when I leave here, I never want to see Michigan State lose to Michigan. That's not going to change the rest of my life. This year is where it starts." 

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These two teams absolutely hate one another and always have, which is going to make this game extremely exciting now that both are ranked and having great years.

It could go either way so make sure you tune in tonight at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN3 to catch what should be an amazing battle.