This. MSU is in our Top 5 among teams we've faced the most in history. The list goes: Navy, USC, Purdue, Pitt, MSU.There is a TON of history there, not to mention the ol' Megaphone Trophy which is still in our possession. While MSU isn't an enemy like Michigan, they are a very strong rival and there's a little bit of bad blood at times. Look at some of the recent games over the last 20 years:
You had them planting the flag on our field in '05.
The revenge game in '06 which led to the infamous Mike Valenti rant and MSU standing at their 50 yard line alone as they tried to defend their field from a flag planting that never happened.
There was Rees upsetting their 2013 season for MSU's lone loss and preventing them from going to the National Championship.
There was the bogus "Little Giants" play that should have had a flag thrown on it.
Then Dantonio came back the next year trying to capitalize on a trick play again and got his ass stuffed.
There's more, but that's just some of the recent history. You've got the '66 "Game of the Century" too that ended in a tie and plenty of other classics.
As much as Michigan sucks and it's fun to beat their ass, we have way, way more history with MSU.