A new coaching rivalry in the state of Michigan has been born. But next year’s battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy won’t be the first time these new Michigan and Michigan State head coaches have met on the field.
As we all know by now, Michigan State football will have a new head coach next season with Pat Fitzgerald taking over the Spartans. And now, we know who will be leading the rival Wolverines next year: former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. News broke on Friday that Whittingham would be named the next Michigan head coach, with the longtime Utes head man expected to sign a five-year deal with Michigan.
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So, like we saw just two years ago with Jonathan Smith and Sherrone Moore, next fall’s matchup between the Spartans and Wolverines will feature two new head coaches to the rivalry. But this will actually be the second time that Fitzgerald and Whittingham squared off in a game, which Fitzgerald came out with the victory.
Fitzgerald led Northwestern to a Holiday Bowl comeback victory over Whittingham’s Utes in 2018. The Wildcats were able to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit to stun Utah and earn the Holiday Bowl victory. That was the lone meeting between these two longtime head coaches, but obviously will not be the last moving forward.
Fitzgerald’s halftime speech that helped spark the comeback in the 2018 Holiday Bowl circulated on social media on Friday shortly after the news of Whittingham heading to Michigan. You can check out that video in the social media post below:
Ultimately, Fitzgerald’s record against Whittingham from their previous stops means nothing in the future of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry. Just like how Fitzgerald’s abysmal record against the Wolverines while coaching Northwestern is also meaningless. But, nonetheless, it’s still a fun little nugget to keep in mind as we dive into the next chapter of the Spartans-Wolverines rivalry.
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The date for next year’s Michigan-Michigan State game has not yet been announced but it should once again be a high-energy and fun matchup. Hopefully, Michigan State can come out on top and pick up their first victory over the Wolverines since Kenneth Walker III stole the show in 2021.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: New MSU coach Pat Fitzgerald beat new UM coach Kyle Whittingham in 2018 bowl game
