What?! Sherrone Moore just pulled off something even Jim Harbaugh couldn’t manage against the Spartans? This year’s Michigan vs. Michigan State game had some extra buzz, and Moore made the most of it. Both teams are under new leadership—Jonathan Smith for the Spartans and Sherrone Moore for the Wolverines. But here’s what makes it even more exciting: Moore had the chance to accomplish something historic.

As the Voice of CFB Network pointed out on X (formerly Twitter), “If Michigan beats Michigan State tonight, Sherrone Moore can become the program’s first head coach to beat Michigan State in his first meeting against the in-state foe since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948.” And guess what? He did it! The Wolverines took down the Spartans 24-17, improving to 5-3 and marking the first time in 76 years that a Michigan coach beat MSU in their first matchup.

Not even legendary coaches like Bo Schembechler, Jim Harbaugh, Lloyd Carr, or Gary Moeller managed to beat the Spartans on their first try. It’s a pretty impressive milestone for Moore—and an achievement that’s been a long time coming.

Of course, we can’t forget the work Jim Harbaugh did for the program. From 2015 to 2023, he led Michigan to three straight Big Ten championships and even a perfect 15-0 season in 2023, capped with a national title. But despite his success, Harbaugh never managed to beat MSU in his first go-around. Moore, however, grabbed that opportunity and ran with it, giving Michigan a much-needed bounce-back win after two straight losses. And Moore didn’t hide his excitement after the game.

Sherrone Moore’s take on today’s game

Spartan fans had been all over social media leading up to the game, saying they wouldn’t accept excuses if Michigan State lost to what they claimed was one of the Wolverines’ worst squads ever. But hey, the Wolverines got the job done, bringing home the Paul Bunyan Trophy.

In the post-game press conference, Moore praised his team’s performance. “I thought Davis [Warren] played well. In the first half, he was like 10-of-11 and then ended up being 13-for-19. He did some really good things,” Moore shared. “I thought it was awesome. That was the challenge I wanted. I wanted our guys to play free, to have fun.”

Moore also made good use of quarterback Alex Orji, who picked up 64 yards and a touchdown on just six carries. And to keep things unpredictable, the Wolverines even got creative with some trick plays—running back Donovan Edwards threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, catching the Spartans off guard.

While it wasn’t a flawless game, it was still a big win and a step in the right direction for Michigan. Now, the Wolverines set their sights on a tougher challenge ahead: a showdown with the mighty Oregon Ducks. The question is, can this victory spark some momentum?