Week 10 picks, preview: Paul Bunyan once more at stake for Michigan, Michigan State
The big in-state showdown highlights the weekend, with some MACtion to follow on Tuesday and Wednesday.
There’s just one Week 10 game Saturday involving teams from Michigan, and it’s the big one around the Mitten: Michigan vs. Michigan State.
Paul Bunyan is on the line, with Michigan looking to make it five-straight wins in the series. Neither team has accomplished that feat since Michigan won six straight vs. the Spartans from 2002 through 2007.
Then in MACtion to begin Week 11, Western Michigan travels to Akron on Tuesday and Central Michigan hosts Sacramento State on Wednesday.
Dig in to picks and previews below.
Michigan vs. Michigan State, 7:30 p.m., Peacock
Let the penultimate of the in-state rivalries commence this year (WMU hosts EMU on Nov. 17), as Michigan and Michigan State face off at Michigan Stadium on Saturday night. The game is on Peacock, evidence to the fact that both teams are really not having years anyone would consider fun under first year head coaches. And with Pat Fitzgerald leading MSU and Kyle Whittingham coaching Michigan, it’s the second time in three years that this game has seen a pair of first-year head coaches square off. Both would greatly benefit from a win.
As to who will be doing that: Probably Michigan? The Wolverines are less injured, more talented, and seem to have found a formula with Tommy Carr under center of being elite on defense and merely a standard deviation of bad on offense. The run game is still a concern. But MSU is a M.A.S.H. unit, and might not have its quarterback Saturday night. But even if Alessio Milivojevic does play, it seems like an uphill climb for the Spartans to make this a fight — perhaps some takeaways and a bit of rivalry oddness. It’s a safe bet Fitzgerald will have his team ready for the action. But it’s probably yet another week of a valiant MSU performance falling short because of talent deficiencies.
Michigan 19, Michigan State 7
Andrew Graham
Western Michigan at Akron, 7 p.m., CBSSN (Tuesday MACtion, Nov. 10)
Akron is already eliminated from MAC title contention, but is feistier than a bottom-of-league finish would indicate. Akron got pipped on a last-second field goal by EMU this season and just lost a close one to Ohio. But quarterback Brayden Roggow leads the league in interceptions (9) and that bode well, as Western Michigan has turned up the havoc with plenty of pass rush success in MAC play. And though Jordan Gant is a good back, Akron is No. 98 nationally in rushing offense.
Pair the Broncos’ advantages on defense with an offense that’s really found a healthy balance of ground-and-pound rushing and throwing the ball, as Broc Lowry and the receivers are making strides, and WMU has a great recipe to follow in this one. The Zips are No. 115 in total defense, regardless. Expect plenty more of WMU leaning on the offensive line and running backs while Lowry takes chunks through the air and the defense stifles opposing offenses. That’s an easy recipe to ride to a road win.
Western Michigan 35, Akron 15
Andrew Graham
Central Michigan vs. Sacramento State, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU (Wednesday MACtion, Nov. 11)
When the 2026 Chippewas can run the ball, the opponent is dead in the water. It was the case against Eastern Michigan, Akron, Wyoming and Colgate. It should be true again vs. Sacramento State. The Hornets have the No. 108 rushing offense nationally, giving up 173.9 yards a game. Four opponents have rushed for more than 200 yards vs. Sacramento State, including Toledo in a 20-17 win on Wednesday night. Central Michigan has the No. 43 rushing offense, and looks to be a fair bit more dynamic overall on offense with Jadyn Glasser playing the way he has at quarterback.
Sacramento State might also be in some quarterback trouble, with backup Jackson Sharman, already starting for injured Carson Conklin, going down with an injury vs. Toledo. His status for next Wednesday is very murky. Add in a spate of other injuries and the CMU defense playing with a lot of mojo against EMU, and things aren’t setting up well for Sacramento State. Central Michigan also benefits from its foe traveling across the country for a midweek game. Sacramento State has played really well of late, but this is an easy spot for the Chippewas to establish their will and win, as Sacramento State has its MAC version of a cold, rainy Tuesday in Stoke.
Central Michigan 30, Sacramento State 13
Andrew Graham
