Penn State vs Michigan State moved to Ford Field on Black Friday, in primetime

Michigan State's Jayden Reed, left, catches a pass for a 20-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-15 against Penn State's Johnny Dixon (3) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 30-27. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Snow won’t be a factor in this year’s Michigan State vs. Penn State game as the Spartans will host the Nittany Lions in Detroit’s domed Ford Field instead of East Lansing. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

Michigan State’s final home game of the 2023-24 regular season will be a break from tradition for the Spartans.

It was announced Wednesday afternoon that the Spartans will take on Penn State on Black Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. The game will broadcast in prime time on NBC and Peacock.

This goes against the traditional schedule, as the Spartans’ final home game won’t be played on their home field in East Lansing. Also, the game will be played on a Friday rather than the usual Saturday.

The announcement has sparked split reactions from fans, as some expressed frustration about losing a home game, on what would have been senior night for the Spartans.

And others, such as junior linebacker Darius Snow are excited for the prime-time slot on the big stage. Some fans also raised the positive point that this game won’t be played outside in the cold and likely snowy conditions typical for November in Michigan.

This announcement comes three days after ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported the game’s date change to Black Friday. Thamel also tweeted that “Both Michigan State and Penn State made significant concessions for the good of the league.” In the ESPN report, Thamel also detailed new Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti’s race to complete the $7 billion television deal that was negotiated by his predecessor Kevin Warren. On Sunday, Thamel reported:

“While this is being worked through, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State recently agreed to concessions to make short-term sacrifices to help the league make up for some lost revenue from the NBC deal.”

As the Big Ten prepares for its merger with USC and UCLA after the 2023-24 season, the conference appears to be making sure all things are in order, particularly with its lucrative TV deal, as it enters a new chapter for the league.



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