Michigan State vs. Penn State football game moves to Black Friday at Ford Field

DETROIT, Mich. (WILX) - Michigan State will close the 2023 season by hosting Penn State at Ford Field in a primetime showcase on NBC and streaming on Peacock on Black Friday.

Michigan State’s season-ending game will be on Friday, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m.

Michigan State will join the Detroit Lions and MHSAA for four straight days of football at Detroit’s Ford Field.

“The decision to move a home game out of Spartan Stadium was given careful consideration, as we understand the impact it will have on some fans,” said MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller. “As a community partner, we recognize home football brings benefits to the entire Mid-Michigan area. The fact that this game falls on a holiday weekend Friday increased our willingness make the move.”

“This is an exciting opportunity for our program to play in prime time on a holiday weekend,” said MSU head football coach Mel Tucker. “Our players will be able to compete in an NFL environment while being showcased in the national spotlight. I’m looking forward to our fans creating a loud atmosphere and giving us a home-field advantage at Ford Field.”

The Big Ten Conference approached Michigan State about the athletic department’s willingness to consider moving the final game of the regular season to a national television window on Friday night and the potential of moving the contest from Spartan Stadium to Ford Field. Michigan State presented the idea to Ford Field, who quickly agreed to accommodate the move.

Michigan State also consulted with the MHSAA as the football state championships will be moved from Friday and Saturday of that weekend to Nov. 25 and 26.

The last appearance for the Spartans in Detroit was a 30-17 victory over Florida Atlantic on Sept. 11, 2010, at Ford Field, when FAU moved its home game back to Michigan while still controlling ticket sales and marketing of the contest. Before that, MSU’s last appearance in downtown Detroit was Oct. 27, 1944, when Coach Charlie Bachman led the Spartans to a 32-0 victory over Wayne State in a contest played at University of Detroit Stadium.

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