Michigan State football: QB Payton Thorne can create his own legacy vs. Wolverines

Kirk Cousins did it, and so did Connor Cook and Brian Lewerke.

Beating Michigan meant everything for those recent, former star Spartans quarterbacks.

Now, it’s Payton Thorne’s turn to take his best shot at the rivalry, leading the No. 8 Spartans (7-0) into a historic duel with No. 6 Michigan (7-0) this weekend in East Lansing. For the first time since their 1964 meeting, both teams are unbeaten and in the top 10 of the Associated Press rankings.

This isn’t just a regular debut for Thorne, though; it’s perhaps the most important and highest-stakes matchup between Michigan and Michigan State in the history of the storied in-state rivalry.

So no pressure, right?

Beating the Wolverines has seemingly meant more to the Spartans during the past decade-plus or so. Cousins famously left MSU saying he could walk with his “head high” knowing that he never lost to Michigan — it meant that much to him. As a starter, Captain Kirk never lost to the Wolverines, going 3-0 and setting the tone for his successors.

Cook was also 3-0 as a starter, capping his rivalry career with a 328-yard performance in 2015. Cousins set the tone, but Cook raised the bar vs. Michigan. It wasn’t only expected to win, it was mandatory during those days.

Michigan State became a national power on the strength of rivalry wins, and not only against Michigan — but also against Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Out of the aforementioned former star QBs at MSU, Lewerke was the only one who didn’t have massive success. He went 1-3 vs. the Wolverines and was injured during the 2016 game, effectively ending his career at MSU. That was the last game in which he started, and he only went 6-for-10 for 100 yards.

Thorne has two fates awaiting around the corner: That of either Cousins/Cook, or Lewerke.

Saturday will be the start of his quest to best the Wolverines, taking on a mission that others handled well in previous years. Cousins and Cook were different breeds. Cousins was the ultimate leader. Cook was ultra-competitive and a better athlete. Lewerke had his moments too, but he never quite reached the heights of Cousins and Cook.

Hell, even Rocky Lombardi got a win during his first go-round in 2020. He’s now the starter at Northern Illinois, but once upon a time, he threw for 323 yards against Michigan, putting forth one of the all-time efforts by an MSU QB vs. Michigan.

Saturday’s game isn’t just another game to keep the Spartans on a champion-level playing field. It isn’t just another one against Michigan, either. It’s Thorne’s most critical test of his young career in East Lansing. It’s important for everyone involved. This same philosophy could be applied to (insert name here).

But for a QB, and a Spartans QB at that, Saturday marks the start of new era for the program in so many ways. Who knows, this year’s game could be referenced 3 years down the road, with Thorne discussing how he never lost to the Wolverines. … Or it could be the reference point, citing where things fell apart for the Spartans during what was supposed to be an unlikely magical season.

During Monday’s media availability, Thorne already appeared to be a seasoned vet when it comes to facing Michigan, saying all the PC things and playing it cool in front of reporters.

“It’s not something you go on for the whole year,” Thorne said after knocking his phone off the table. “Obviously, you know about the game and you know how important it is. You know how much hype there is surrounding it. We’ve talked about it. But it’s not like you’re thinking about it 24/7 or anything like that. But it is a huge game and it is a very important game for us.”

Adam Biggers

Adam Biggers brings his expertise on the Michigan beat to Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.