EAST LANSING- The Paul Bunyan trophy won’t be the only trophy up for grabs this week. Michigan State men’s soccer will look to retain the Big Bear Trophy as they face off against the Michigan Wolverines under the lights at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday.

Michigan State leads Michigan 15-12-4 in the series all-time. Last year’s edition of the rivalry ended in a 0-0 tie with the last win by MSU in 2022, where the Spartans won 2-0. 

The Spartans enter this rivalry matchup coming off a hard-fought 3-1 road loss at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington. MSU holds a 5-6-2 record overall on the season, a fourth-place standing in the Big Ten with 12 points and a 4-3 conference record.

The Wolverines come into East Lansing limping currently on a two-game losing streak and losers of three out of their last four games.

 Despite the recent struggles, Michigan still holds a winning record with a 6-3-4 overall record. The Wolverines have however struggled in Big Ten play with a 1-3-3 conference record and currently stand ninth in the conference with six points.

A player to watch for the Wolverines in this matchup is Beto Soto. Soto is fourth in the Big Ten in points on the season with 15 and leads the conference in assists with nine on the season. 

Graduate defender Bryce Blevins and senior midfielder Jason Bucknor are other players to watch for the Wolverines. Bucknor leads the Wolverines in scoring with five goals on the season, while Blevins has recorded four goals and five assists on the year.

The Spartans will look to retain the Big Bear Trophy and strengthen their seeding for the Big Ten Tournament with a win over Michigan. First touch from DeMartin Stadium is set for 7 p.m.