EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN: Michigan State University faced controversy when an image of Adolf Hitler was displayed as part of a pregame quiz on videoboards prior to their matchup with No. 2 Michigan on Saturday night, October 21.
The image was featured in a trivia question about Hitler's birthplace, Austria, and was visible on the videoboards long enough for those present to capture and share it on social media.
Social media reacts to Hitler's image at MSU
The incident sparked significant backlash online, with some expressing their shock and disgust.
"Question: What is the only thing worse than MSU’s football program? Answer: Hitler," one person posted on X.
"People commenting saying oh it was just a trivia question about where Hitler was born. In my mind, I’m thinking why was there a trivia question on Hitler????" another wrote.
"This can't be real," a comment read.
"Hi. Alumnus here. This is Disgusting," someone else added.
"There is a place for Hitler history lessons and a football game ain’t one of them," another offered.
MSU issues apology
The school swiftly issued an apology for the inappropriate content, attributing it to an outside source.
Michigan State spokesman Matt Larson stated, "MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the video board prior to the start of tonight´s football game."
He added, "We are deeply sorry for the content that was displayed, as this is not representative of our institutional values. MSU will not be using the third-party source going forward and will implement stronger screening and approval procedures for all videoboard content in the future."
The pregame quiz typically provides content on video boards before games, but no other quizzes were displayed on the screen.
Outstanding performance by Michigan Wolverines
On the field, Michigan dominated the game, with J J McCarthy passing for 287 yards and four touchdowns. Michigan Wolverines routed Michigan State 49-0, extending the Wolverines' winning streak over the Spartans to two consecutive seasons.
AJ Barner had an outstanding game, catching eight passes for 99 yards, while Colston Loveland caught four passes for 79 yards and two touchdowns. Blake Corum contributed with a rushing touchdown and 59 yards on 15 carries. Katin Houser struggled for Michigan State, completing 12 of 22 passes for 101 yards and throwing one interception.
The Spartans' offense was held in check, with Nate Carter managing only 36 yards on 17 carries. This marked the first time the Wolverines had shut out the Spartans since 2000.
Michigan took an early lead, with McCarthy passing for 276 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, leading to a 28-0 halftime advantage. The Wolverines' offense demonstrated its dominance with multiple scoring drives, while the defense contributed a touchdown when Mike Sainristil intercepted a pass and ran it back 72 yards.
Michigan's victory over Michigan State concluded with a final score of 49-0, capping off a dominant performance by the Wolverines, the Daily Mail reported.
