Ford Field to host Michigan State-Penn State game on Black Friday
(CBS DETROIT) - Michigan State will end its 2023 regular season at Ford Field.
The school announced Wednesday that the Michigan State-Penn State football game will be played at Ford Field on Black Friday, Nov. 24.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
With the addition of the MSU-Penn State game on Black Friday, the Michigan High School Athletic Association's 11-player football finals will now be contested at Ford Field on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 25 and 26.
"This is a unique opportunity, for both our football program and our fan base, to play a Black Friday game at Ford Field," said MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller. "Southeast Michigan is home to 100,000 alums, nearly 50 percent of our student body and countless more Spartan fans. Our men's basketball team has experienced tremendous support in Detroit, both at Ford Field and Little Caesars Arena, and we're excited to bring Spartan Football to our fans in the Motor City. The city is important to our mission not only as an athletic department, but our entire University. We anticipate that the experience will be so much more than a football game for our Spartan faithful.
"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. 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. I believe our season ticket holders still have a strong collection of home games highlighted by Michigan and a premier non-conference game against Washington, with a total of six home games just as we had in 2021."
The school says Spartan Fund donors and 2023 football season ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets in Spartan Fund donor priority order.
The game will be sold as a standalone contest, and season ticket holders and student season pass holders who have already paid for the 2023 ticket package will be refunded for tickets and parking for the originally scheduled game at Spartan Stadium.
On-sale ticket dates will be announced in the future.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with the Big Ten Conference to host a game at Ford Field," said Detroit Lions President and CEO Rod Wood. "Thanksgiving weekend in Detroit is synonymous with football and being able to add a marquee Big Ten game only elevates the weekend. We are proud to be hosting NFL football, Big Ten Football and the Michigan high school football championships in downtown Detroit and look forward to the energy and excitement of the holiday weekend. The Detroit Lions and Ford Field are committed to growing the game and the football community throughout the State of Michigan."
Michigan State's last game at Ford Field was a 30-17 win over Florida Atlantic on Sept. 11, 2010. Prior to that game, MSU's last appearance in downtown Detroit was a 32-0 win over Wayne State at University of Detroit Stadium on Oct. 27, 1944.
