For the first time since 1964, Big Ten rivals Michigan State and Michigan will play for the coveted Paul Bunyan Trophy as teams ranked in the AP top-10. And the stakes for this annual battle couldn't be higher, considering where both unbeaten programs stand in the College Football Playoff conversation.
Perhaps the biggest storyline is the mere fact that the eighth-ranked Spartans enter this weekend as undefeated hosts. After posting an underwhelming 2-5 record last season, second-year head coach Mel Tucker has turned the team into a surprise contender. And consequently, he's become one of the nation's hottest coaching commodities.
"You think about the coaches who are rah-rah, in your face, get all hyped up, that's not Mel. And good for him for being true to who he is," ESPN College Gameday reporter Jen Lada told The DA Show on Thursday. "He goes back to authenticity, he says you can't try to be someone you're not because players see through that. He's obviously dealing with some external noise right now with his name brought up in some of these coaching searches.
"How does he convince his players that he's still all-in on the Spartans, and focused on the task at hand? That goes back to trust, and respect, and the relationships that you've cultivated... There's a buzz, there's an energy, you can feel it in the air in East Lansing right now. And I really think they feel like they can do this. They're tired of the little brother narrative. They really feel like they can knock off Michigan, and it's going to be one hell of a game."
Tucker, who joined Michigan State in 2020 after spending a season as the head coach of Colorado in 2019, addressed rumors linking him to the LSU opening on Monday, telling reporters that all his focus is on Michigan State. Whether or not Tucker leaves for the Tigers job, his resume definitely meets their qualifications.
The Spartans squeaked by unranked Indiana, 20-15, last Saturday afternoon in Bloomington. Kenneth Walker III, who currently ranks second in the nation in rushing, ran for 84 yards on 23 carries, and Payton Thorne completed 14 of 26 passes for just 126 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
No. 8 Michigan State and No. 6 Michigan will kick off at Noon ET on Saturday. According to ESPN's new Playoff Predictor, the Spartans have a 95-percent chance to make the College Football Playoff if they win out and claim the conference title. With a loss to Michigan and no trip to the Big Ten title game, the Spartans' chances drop to just 28-percent.
The entire football conversation between Lada and DA can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The DA Show on Twitter @DAonCBS and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.