We Speak College Football

Five Field Goals and a Fierce Defense Bring the Paul Bunyan Trophy Back to East Lansing

Published

1 hour ago

November 8, 2026

Michigan State players lift the Paul Bunyan Trophy after beating Michigan

Michigan State lifts the Paul Bunyan Trophy after beating Michigan in Ann Arbor. Photo via Michigan State Football.

Michigan State did not score a touchdown on Saturday, and it did not need one. Liam Boyd kicked five field goals for all 15 of the Spartans’ points, the defense strangled Michigan all afternoon, and Michigan State beat its rival 15-6 at Michigan Stadium to reclaim the Paul Bunyan Trophy for the first time since 2021.

Boyd was perfect on five tries. He connected from 26 and 38 yards in the second quarter to give Michigan State a 6-0 halftime lead. His third field goal capped one of the strangest and most telling drives of the season: a 17 play, 79 yard march that started at the Spartans’ own 1 yard line and ate 10 minutes and 41 seconds of the third quarter to make it 9-0. He added two more in the fourth quarter, including a 49 yarder with 4:09 left that pushed the lead to 15-0.

Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic completed 21 of 32 passes for 188 yards with no turnovers, playing with a brace on his throwing hand after missing the previous game. Brandon Tullis carried 25 times for 86 yards as Michigan State outgained Michigan 298 to 192, held the ball for 38 minutes and 7 seconds to Michigan’s 21 minutes and 53 seconds, won the turnover battle 4-0 and recorded five sacks.

Michigan quarterback Tommy Carr completed 14 of 26 passes for 138 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The Wolverines ran for only 54 yards on 26 carries and managed 192 total yards, 75 of them on the final drive. Savion Hiter’s 1 yard touchdown run with 1:35 left avoided the shutout, but Carr was sacked on the two point try and the onside kick failed.

The win is Michigan State’s first over Michigan since 2021, snaps a six game losing streak and gives first year head coach Pat Fitzgerald his first Big Ten victory. Michigan State is 3-6 and 1-5 in the conference. Michigan falls to 5-4 and 2-4.

Statement In Beaumont: No. 12 Lamar Knocks Off No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 In The FCS Game Of The Week

Published

48 minutes ago

November 8, 2026

Julie Isbell

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands the ball off to running back Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium

Lamar quarterback Aiden McCown hands off to Parker Jenkins against Stephen F. Austin at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont. Photo by Julie Isbell.

This was the biggest game in the FCS this weekend, and it played like it. On Saturday at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, No. 12 Lamar beat No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 45-28 in the STATS Perform FCS Game of the Week, a showdown between the top two teams in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals never trailed, answered every Lumberjacks comeback, and pulled into a tie for first place in the Southland with two weeks left in the regular season. Photographer Julie Isbell was on the sideline for We Speak Media.

The Fast Start

Lamar opened the game like a team that had been waiting for it. Andres Sandoval kicked a 27 yard field goal, Aiden McCown found Davin Driskell for a 7 yard touchdown late in the first quarter, and Parker Jenkins added a 3 yard touchdown run in the second quarter to build a 17-0 lead. Stephen F. Austin finally answered just before halftime, when Gavin Rutherford hit Clayton Wayland for a 22 yard touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half.

Every Answer

*Stephen F. Austin quarterback Gavin Rutherford throws against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

The second half turned into a heavyweight exchange. Stephen F. Austin cut the Lamar lead to three points three separate times, and every time the Cardinals answered with a touchdown of their own. Jenkins capped an eight play, 75 yard drive with a 13 yard touchdown run, and McCown connected with Driskell again to push the lead back to ten. The loudest moment came late: JT Kitna found Bugs Mortimer for a 71 yard touchdown that pulled the Lumberjacks within 31-28. On the next Lamar possession, McCown hit Blake Thomas for a 62 yard touchdown strike with 4:45 remaining to make it 38-28.

The Close

The defense finished it. Alexandre Dedieu strip sacked the quarterback on Stephen F. Austin’s next play and Lamar recovered, setting up Jenkins’ third rushing touchdown of the night, a 4 yard run that sealed the 45-28 final.

By The Numbers

*The Stephen F. Austin offense huddles its ground game against Lamar. Photo by Julie Isbell.*

McCown completed 17 of 29 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Jenkins carried 30 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns in a career night. Lamar rolled up 488 total yards, including 181 on the ground, scored on all five of its red zone trips, and held the ball for 12 minutes longer than the Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin turned the ball over four times, two fumbles and two interceptions, including picks by Bryce McDonald and Mar Mar Evans, and Lamar turned those mistakes into 17 points. For the Lumberjacks, Wayland caught nine passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Quarter by quarter: Lamar led 10-0 after the first, 17-7 at the half, and the teams traded 14 points each in the third before Lamar closed the fourth quarter 14-7.

What It Means

The loss is Stephen F. Austin’s first of the season, ending a 19 game regular season winning streak that was the longest active run across the FBS and FCS. The Lumberjacks fall to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Southland. Lamar improves to 8-2 and 6-1, and now owns the head to head tiebreaker in the race for the Southland’s automatic playoff bid. The Cardinals are home again on Saturday, November 14, hosting East Texas A&M, while Stephen F. Austin travels to UT Rio Grande Valley.