The 2023 edition of the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy will take place on Saturday night when the 2^nd-ranked Michigan Wolverines travel to East Lansing, Michigan to face the Michigan State Spartans in week 8 of the college football season with the game airing at 7:30 PM ET on NBC.

The Michigan Wolverines enter this game ranked 2^nd in the AP Poll and 2^nd in the Coaches Poll with a record of 7-0 following a 52-7 win at home against the Indiana Hoosiers while covering the 33-point spread as a home favorite in week 7 of the college football season. Michigan scored 52 points while compiling a total of 407 yards offensively which included 244 passing yards and 163 rushing yards while allowing 7 points and 232 total yards defensively which included 140 passing yards and 92 rushing yards. J.J. McCarthy led the team in passing, completing 14 of 17 attempts for 222 yards and three touchdowns while adding 27 rushing yards. Benjamin Hall led the team in rushing with nine carries for 58 yards. Colston Loveland led the team in receiving, catching three of four targets for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Michigan State enters this game with a record of 2-4 following a 24-27 loss on the road against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights while covering the 4-point spread as a road underdog in week 7 of the college football season. The Spartans scored 24 points while compiling a total of 247 yards offensively which included 134 passing yards and 113 rushing yards while allowing 27 points and 295 total yards defensively which included 181 passing yards and 114 rushing yards. Katin Houser led the team in passing, completing 18 of 28 attempts for 134 yards and two touchdowns while adding 27 rushing yards and a touchdown. Nate Carter led the team in rushing with 20 carries for 53 yards. Montorie Foster Jr. led the team in receiving, catching five of six targets for 48 yards and a touchdown.

BookMaker has the Michigan Wolverines listed as 24-point favorites on the road against the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday night in week 8 of the college football season. Michigan State has won six of the last ten and two of the last three games in the series while going 7-2-1 ATS in the last ten and 2-0-1 ATS in the last three meetings. Michigan is 3-3-1 ATS overall, 2-0 ATS on the road, 3-3-1 ATS as a favorite, and 3-0-1 ATS in conference games this season while the Michigan State Spartans are 3-2-1 ATS overall, 2-2 ATS at home, 1-2-1 ATS as an underdog, and 1-1-1 ATS in conference games on the year.

As good as Michigan this season they have struggled most recently in the series against the Michigan State Spartans having lost two of the last three meetings. The Spartans have been the better team at covering the spread in the series as well, going 7-2-1 ATS in the last ten and 2-0-1 ATS in the three matchups. I look for Michigan to get the win, however, 24 points is a lot to give up in a rivalry game which is why I am taking the 24 points with the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday.