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Paul Bunyan Trophy |
| Paul Bunyan Trophy | |
| Teams | Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans |
| Originated | 1953 |
| Trophy Series | Michigan leads, 34-20-2 |
| Current Holder | Michigan State |
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| 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 (20) 1953 1956 1957 1959 1960 1961 1962 1965 1966 1967 1969 1978 1984 1987 1990 1993 1995 1999 2001 2008 |
| Ties (2) 1958 1963 |
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The Paul Bunyan-Governor of Michigan Trophy is a college rivalry trophy awarded to the winner of the annual American football game between the University of Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State University Spartans. The winner retains possession of the trophy until the next year's game. Michigan State currently holds the trophy with their 35-21 victory in Ann Arbor, on October 25, 2008; it was the 101st meeting in the series.
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.
This rivalry is intense in the state of Michigan, as most residents support one of the two teams.citation needed
The Paul Bunyan is not to be confused with Paul Bunyan's Axe, which is annually given to the winner of the game between the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (both of which are also in the Big Ten Conference).
The overall series record is 67-29-5 in favor of Michigan, and since Michigan State achieved Big Ten membership in 1953, it is 34-20-2 for Michigan. MSU's only real period of dominance in the series' history was from 1950 to 1969, where they went 14-5-1. 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 most recent meeting took place 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.citation needed 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.
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