By now, you already know that Michigan beat Michigan State 60-59 last night in Ann Arbor. It was Michigan's third straight win over the Spartans after losing the last thirty gazillion games between the schools.

By now, you also already know that Trey Burke had a hell of a game for the Wolverines, MSU fans are still pretty confident, and, unsurprisingly, Mgoblog found a way to link the greatest video of all time.

By now, you also probably know that Denard Robinson was in attendance for the game, since ESPN showed him roughly 12,984 times during their broadcast (or maybe that was just the number of State fans complaining about it on Twitter). [Put something funny about Denard Robinson never beating MSU here]. The engineer is never going to wash that shirt again.

You also may have guessed that Tom Izzo was not in a dancing mood. This did not bode well for MSU's chances.

What you may not have seen, however, is John Beilein's freakishly white attempts at dancing to DJ Khaled's (plus every rapper in the history of ever) "All I Do Is Win," the corny sports anthem of 2010. (big, big ups to Lost Lettermen for answering my prayers with this .gif)

With the evidence before us, I award the first ever D4L UM-MSU Basketball Dance-off Tournament Championship to the Michigan Wolverines. It's quite an honor, Michigan. Keep it safe before those creepy Izzone Teletubbies take it away.

Tonight's showdown in Ann Arbor between #9 Michigan State and #19.5* Michigan is one of the biggest basketball games between these two schools in recent memory. Since most of the people reading this (Hi Grandma!) are only familiar with one of the two sides, we're going to clue you in on the most important aspects of tonight's matchup. Tip off is at 7:30, with your first family dispute over officiating scheduled for approximately 7:41 pm.

*Yes, I averaged them. Deal with it.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Aside from that whole "Little Brother" thing, both teams are competing for a conference title. Michigan State, at 4-1, is tied for first with Illinois. Michigan and Saddam Hussein Al Qaeda Hitler himself Ohio State sit just 0.5 games back at 4-2. Also important is that both Michigan and MSU are coming off of road losses this weekend against Iowa and Northwestern, respectively, and we've seen what losing can do to you if you're not careful. Plus, Michigan's next three games are on the road, and starting that stretch on a 2-game losing streak is not a healthy way to live.

SERIOUSLY, IS ANYONE GOING TO SCORE IN THIS GAME?

While Michigan State's offense is nothing to sneeze at, this game is going to come down to defense. Other than occassional defensive lapses from the Spartans (see: Northwestern game), both teams are rock solid. Michigan hasn't given up more than 70 points in a game at Crisler Arena this season, and I don't expect that to change tonight. Look for Draymond Green and Tim Hardaway Jr. to get the ball in key situations for their respective squads, but I'll be surprised if either one scores 20 points tonight.

WHO'S THAT FRESHMAN HOTTIE AND IS SHE AVAILABLE?

On one side, we have Michigan's Trey Burke. He's second on the team at 14.3 points per game and leads the Wolverines wth nearly 5 assists per game. To put it mildly, the Michigan offense isn't worth dick without him in the lineup. There's a reason he leads the team in minutes played this season.

Michigan State's barely legal stud is Branden Dawson. While his numbers aren't as impressive as Burke's, he still plays a key role for the Spartans, putting up decent numbers across the board. His size (6'6", 215) could make him a matchup nightmare for the smallish Wolverines, especially on the glass.

SINCE DARIUS MORRIS AND KALIN LUCAS AREN'T HERE TO FIGHT, WHO'S GONNA THROW DOWN TONIGHT?

As much as I'd like to see Tom Izzo and John Beilein go toe-to-toe, I'd have to say that Jordan Morgan and either Derrick Nix or Adreian Payne are the safe bet. Morgan lost his cool when attacked by an Oompa Loompa from Northwestern, and no doubt Tom Izzo has shown that video to his bigs. With Morgan being the only legitimate inside presence the Wolverines have, look for the Spartans to do anything they can to get him off his game.

WHITE GUYS THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO LIKE

As a Michigan basketball fan, Evan Smotrycz makes my blood boil. Yes, he leads the Wolverines in rebounding, steals, blocks, and 3-point shooting percentage, but his play lately has been nothing short of "What the hell is Brian Scalabrine doing on my television set?" bad. Hopefully he makes me look like an idiot tonight, but I won't hold my breath. For Michigan State, Austin Thornton wins this category by default. Sorry, buddy.

JUST FOR LOLZ

People texting at sporting events amuses me.

PREDICTION TIME

As a Michigan alum, I want to say that Michigan will win by 50, but we all know that won't happen. Now that both of these schools have real basketball teams (thanks a lot, Brian Ellerbe), the rivalry has regained its former luster. While Michigan hasn't lost at home this season, Michigan State has shown the testicular fortitude necessary to go on the road and win, even if Wisconsin isn't exactly who we thought they were (sorry, Dennis Green). If Michigan shoots well, I think they win, but I don't know if they will get the open looks that they have become accustomed to against less athletic opponents. Michigan State's frontcourt depth and re-acquaintance with rebounding in 2011-12 provides the difference, and the Spartans win 67-59.

Yes, I'm well aware that this TD catch isn't the only reason that Michigan won the Sugar Bowl last night, but it was easily the best (and possibly only) highlight-worthy play of the evening.

As LVS from The Only Colors so eloquently stated on Twitter last night, "no player straddles the line between glory and disaster quite like Denard Robinson." His overall performance was largely forgettable last night, but that was a perfect throw.

BONUS: Here's that crazy fake field goal that could have resulted in like six penalties but instead led to a Fat Guy First Down (TM).

With apologies to Brian Cook's weekly declarations, it is finally appropriate to utter the words "Brady Hoke gets it." Hoke's Wolverines beat Ohio State 40-34 yesterday in a game that could have easily been a 20-point blowout in either direction. [Insert section about Braxton Miller's throwing accuracy here]

Simply put: ugly or beyond ugly, a win is a win. Michigan fans were desperate for a victory in this series, especially with the prospect of Urban Meyer taking over in Columbus next season. Denard Robinson put together a Heisman-worthy* performance, Fitzgerald Toussaint cemented his name at the top of next season's RB depth chart (if it wasn't there already), and the defense stood tall at a couple key moments (when Miller wasn't overthrowing wide open receivers, that is).

Speaking of overthrowing receivers, Houston QB Case Keenum -- who is like 35 after being in college for 15 years -- won't do that. If Michigan matches up with Houston in a BCS bowl as predicted, then the Wolverines are in trouble. Just sayin'.

*This does not mean I think Denard should win the Heisman (or even be invited to New York), just that if he had done this all season then he would be in the discussion. Of course, someone will miss this section and leave a stupid comment, to which I will mock said oblivious buffoon on Twitter.

Meanwhile, punter Will Hagerup wasn't the only person to poop his pants when he fumbled a snap in the 4th quarter.

Rest easy, William. No one blames you when you win.

It's truly the best/worst thing about college football: you can lose to one of the worst teams in the country one week, then go out and beat a resurgent Michigan team next week... with a little help, that is. However, Junior Hemingway's near-catch on 2nd and goal with about 10 seconds left was exactly that: a near-catch. [pic via Guyism]

As you can see, the ball hit the ground as he was falling out of bounds, ergo, not a catch. However, Roy Roundtree is allowed to have beef with the zebras. [pic via SB Nation]

OK, so the officials weren't the only reason why Michigan lost. Iowa outplayed Michigan when the Wolverines weren't shooting themselves in the foot with poor decisions, horrible playcalling, and overthrowing wide open receivers downfield (but mostly the horrible playcalling).

With Michigan sitting at 7-2 and two of the toughest games on their schedule at the end of the season, it becomes even more important that they beat Illinois next weekend. Of course, if Ron Zook's luck is anything like Kirk Ferentz's, you might be reading something very similar next Saturday.

I've mulled this over for a couple hours and have only been able to come up with three plausible reasons why reading this might be the first you've heard that basketball mega-recruit Mitch McGary committed to Michigan earlier today: you either (a) have a bitch of a firewall at your job and D4L is small-time enough to slip by, (b) exclusively read D4L and no other blogs (hi Mom!), or (c) have no interest whatsoever in Michigan's basketball program. If you're of the latter portion, you might want to just skip out now, unless you simply enjoy having your mind blown by pure awesomeness. [video via UM Hoops, who have posted like a gazillion things since McGary announced]

While McGary's announcement is huge, this post scopes beyond that. Yes, McGary is arguably the biggest recruit for the Wolverines since Chris Webber himself (Note: D4L has voluntarily rescinded that last part due to NCAA violations) and might only be in Ann Arbor for one season. However, he's already the crown jewel of John Beilein's tenure at Michigan, and by all accounts has a burning desire to help take Michigan to the next level. This, along with Michigan's sweep of the Spartans last year, begs the question as to whether the balance of basketball power has once again shifted in the state of Michigan.

The Wolverines return the vast majority of last year's NCAA 2nd round squad, but are missing Darius Morris -- their floor general and leader in nearly every meaningful statistical category -- who decided to jump to the NBA despite giant construction-esque signs that said "WARNING: LOCKOUT AHEAD." Tim Hardaway Jr. (seriously, read that) looks to take up Morris' scoring load while also grooming for the leadership void that will be present in 2012 after Zack Novak graduates.

The recruits are there; Beilein has gone from grabbing the likes of Zack Novak and Stu Douglass from hick ass towns in Indiana to nabbing one of the nation's top recruits (ironically, who is from the same hick ass town as Novak). The coaching staff is intact; assistant coach Bacari Alexander is arguably the biggest reason McGary committed to Michigan in the first place, and should probably be getting offers for head coaching positions in the near future. The facilities are finally in the same millenium as the rest of us.

Meanwhile, the Spartans have Keith Appling, Draymond Green, and 10 other guys that inspire fear in no one, save for possibly the most pessimistic of Spartan fans. They lost their Mr. Do Everything in Kalin Lucas to graduation and not-the-NBA, Delvon Roe to injuries and acting, and several other guys that I'm still not sure what happened to.

So naturally, despite all the evidence to the contrary, I still think MSU is the team to beat in this state. Why? Well, the short answer goes something like "Tom Izzo," and the long version isn't much different. Izzo has done more with less in the past, and there's no reason to think that MSU is suddenly going to fall off the face of the Big Ten landscape.

All the pieces are here, and McGary is going to be one of the biggest (both literally and figuratively) components to the Wolverines' success. Does this mean that Michigan will reign supreme once again? Until Michigan (and McGary, by extension) can live up to the hype -- something that John Beilein failed to deliver on in his third season in Ann Arbor despite returning Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims from an NCAA tournament team the year before -- I don't know if it's safe to say that Michigan is truly back yet. Regardless, it looks to be a hell of a ride while it lasts.

Let me first preface this by saying: Brandon, I understand. Former Michigan DE Brandon Graham has reportedly gained 20 pounds while rehabbing from his ACL injury thanks to all the delicious cheesesteaks he's been eating. After 4 years of enjoying Mr. Spots in Ann Arbor, I can't imagine how tempting it must be to have the real deal available at Pat's or Geno's any day of the week.

Of course, making Andy Reid's mid-morning snack runs probably doesn't help either.

[The Post Game]

University of Minnesota fans, avert your eyes. These highlights, much like the game (imagine that), are all Michigan.

With this massive win (and the first Michigan shutout since Lloyd Carr was on the sidelines), the Wolverines moved up to #12 in the country. This, along with their #1 IN THE NATION defense, won't last. Until the other shoe drops -- and it might not happen until Nebraska comes calling in November* -- enjoy the run that this team is on. Denard Robinson is special, the defense doesn't know that it is supposed to suck, and the team is winning games easily.

*State fans, sorry, but your team has looked horrible the last couple weeks. It's definitely possible that MSU will beat Michigan for a 4th straight year, but the Spartans don't deserve to be favored at this juncture (or their own post, for that matter, because there were no highlights from that abomination of a game).

It's been almost 24 hours and I still can't put together the words to properly describe last night's Michigan-Notre Dame spectacle. First, highlights.

Right after the game, my friend texted me, "That was the best/shittiest played game I have ever seen," and I think he might be right. It was one of the sloppiest games you'll ever see, but all anyone is talking about is the three touchdowns in the final 1:12, the swing of emotions from "HELL YES" to "DOOM" to "HAVE MY BABIES DENARD" (and the exact opposite for Notre Dame fans), and the fact that yes, Michigan can do night games with the best of them (side note: no one else gets Seven Nation Army anymore. That's Michigan's now). One guy ACTUALLY HAD A HEART ATTACK. The only thing missing was Ian Darke.

By waiting a day, it's easier for me to stop and look at the game beyond the utter shenanigans of the last 72 seconds. If it's possible to say that a guy that had 446 total yards didn't have a great day, it can be said about Denard Robinson. As much of a man crush as I have on the guy right now, he was bailed out constantly by some twisted combination of his receivers, Notre Dame's secondary and Gary Gray (who doesn't deserve to be included with the rest of Notre Dame's secondary right now). He completed 14 of his 24 passes... but three of them were to the aforementioned awful Notre Dame secondary. Still, that performance was nothing short of legendary, and it won't be long before Michigan starts putting patches on the #16 jersey as well.

It's amazing what Greg Mattison is able to do with Mike Martin and 10 MAC players. Of course, it didn't hurt that Notre Dame started a 2-star QB with a noodle arm and got more predictable than Frank Caliendo's jokes on 3rd down. Holding Notre Dame to just 7 points in the second half (before PREVENT DEATH in the last minute, that is) was the biggest reason why Michigan was able to come back.

Finally, I'm excited to watch the Notre Dame-Michigan State game next weekend. Notre Dame is way more talented than their 0-2 record and they will be in full-on desperation mode next Saturday. Michigan State might be running into a buzzsaw, but at least they can take comfort in the fact that they haved owned South Bend lately (that, and they curbstomped Florida Atlantic yesterday).

As for Michigan, the win is both a blessing and a curse. If they even begin to believe that they should be 2-0, they're in for a rude awakening. They got a lot of breaks, but to their credit they took advantage of them. If Brady Hoke is truly the man for the job in Ann Arbor, he will be able to keep this team focused over the next few weeks as their schedule lightens considerably until Big Ten play in October.

I can't ever regret the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan, mostly for one reason: Denard Robinson. Bold statement alert: there has never been a more electrifying player at the University of Michigan. Woodson, Howard, et al were great, yes, but no one has ever had the big play ability that Denard Robinson has.

Michigan fans knew he was going to be special from his very first snap two years ago against Western Michigan. A bit of foreshadowing for Saturday? Let's hope so.

I was at Michigan Stadium for this one, so naturally it's a special play in my mind. Michigan fans, where were you when the Denard Robinson hype machine got its official start?