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ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

JUSTICE IS

SERVED No. 25 Michigan takes down Michigan State on the back of Justice Haynes’ revitalizing second-half performance ZACH EDWARDS Managing Sports Editor

AST LANSING — In the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy and the ‘State Championship’, one player helped settle the dust to decide the winner of the in-state rivalry. Although the No. 25 Michigan football team wasn’t convincing in the first half Saturday against Michigan State, they turned things around in the second half and leaned on the player they have all season — junior running back Justice Haynes. After he sat out with injury against Washington, Haynes reminded everyone why he’s considered one of the top backs in the country. “I was very eager to get out there,” Haynes said. “It always sucks being hurt, but I can only control the controllables.”

Haynes, who finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns, led Michigan (6-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) to a 31-20 rout of the Spartans (3-5, 0-5). When it mattered most, Haynes stepped up to extend the lead and ultimately extend the Wolverines’ win streak to four in the rivalry. Despite having a 10-7 lead at halftime, Michigan played a sloppy first half. But Michigan State was even messier with an early turnover and frequent penalties setting it behind. The Wolverines forced a fumble on the first drive of the game. While Michigan’s offense couldn’t capitalize with a touchdown, they went on the board early with a 21-yard field goal. Offensively, Michigan was almost entirely stagnant. Haynes’ 14-yard screen-pass catch on a crucial third down to set up a 13-yard

rushing touchdown for freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood later in the first quarter. But other than that, both the run and pass game for the Wolverines left much to be desired. Michigan State struggled in a similar capacity, committing 75 yards worth of first-half penalties that gave Michigan breaks it needed. But the Spartans responded to Michigan’s first 10 points with a 73-yard touchdown drive of their own. Running back Makhi Frazier broke multiple tackles on a 49-yard run and a crucial pass interference call in the end zone on second-and-goal from the 17-yard line to set up a 10-7 score at the break. These first-half woes from both sides gave either of the in-state rivals a path to victory. That’s when Haynes took over. Haynes kicked off the

second half with two runs of more than 20 yards, totaling 48 yards, which was 2 yards less than his entire first-half production. Then the Spartans proved even more penalty ridden by having a strip sack taken away due to an offsides call, leading to a subsequent thirddown conversion for Haynes. All Haynes needed was two more 5-yard runs to put up a touchdown on the first drive of the second half, marking the beginning of the end for Michigan State. “We went down and scored that first drive, and that gave us a lot of momentum,” Moore said. “There were some plays that we thought would hit, and they did. And when they hit a first play for 20 something yards, you want to get back to it and keep going. So we just took the momentum and just wanted to keep it rolling.” And Haynes kept

the momentum rolling by adding to the lead just two drives later. After freshman wide receiver Andrew Marsh hauled in his second reception of over 20 yards on the night, Haynes punched in a 14-yard touchdown to extend the lead. Haynes had multiple gritty, 5-to-10 yard runs in the second half to keep drives alive and spearhead the offense. “He’s an explosive player, one of the best running backs in the country in our eyes, and it was awesome to have him back,” Moore said. “He ran so hard. He ran physical … and he just continues to play at a high level. It was huge to have him back. But, you know, having Jordan as your two-back go for 15 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown is pretty good too.” Aside from its 73-yard touchdown drive in the first half,

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Michigan State recorded 38 total yards on every other drive through the first three quarters. The Spartans didn’t lose life, though, scoring a touchdown on the sixth play of the fourth quarter. But two consecutive turnover on downs ended any chance for Michigan State. And sophomore running back Jordan Marshall capitalized the victory with a 56-yard touchdown run to put the finishing touches on the victory. The Wolverines’s defense shut down Michigan State for all but two drives and a garbage-time touchdown. On the back of its bell cow, who displayed a strong welcome-back performance from, Haynes and Michigan kept the Paul Bunyan Trophy in Ann Arbor for the fourth consecutive year.

Josh Sinha/DAILY Meleck Eldahshoury/DAILY Design by Annabelle Ye

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