4/24/2023 football Edit

Michigan State to open 2023 season vs Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 1

Michigan State honors 9/11 first responders before the Youngstown State game at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (© Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC)

Kevin Knight • Spartans Illustrated

Asst. Managing Editor

Native Michigander & Hillsdale graduate who has covered MSU athletics since 2020 & fan since childhood. Lived in DC since 2011, husband to a Neb. guy, beagle dad, transportation policy work by day.

For the 11th time in 13 seasons, the Michigan State Spartans football program will open the season on a Friday.

MSU’s 2023 season opener against the Central Michigan Chippewas has been moved up by a day, and will now be played on Friday, Sept. 1 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. The Big Ten Conference announced the news on Monday morning. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 2 when the revised 2023 schedule was released by the Big Ten on Oct. 26, 2022.

The kickoff time, TV network, and ticket information for the game will be announced at a later date.

The game against CMU will be one of seven home games for MSU this fall, including Central Michigan (Sept. 1), Richmond (Sept. 9), Washington (Sept. 16), Maryland (Sept. 23, Homecoming), Michigan (Oct. 21), Nebraska (Nov. 4), and Penn State (Nov. 25).

Since 2011, Michigan State has opened the season on a Friday every single year except for 2017 and 2020. Last season, the Spartans beat Western Michigan in the 2022 season opener, 35-13, on Friday, Sept. 2 in East Lansing. It was the first Friday night season opener at Spartan Stadium for Mel Tucker.

2023's season opener against Central Michigan will mark the fourth time that Michigan State will begin a season against the Chippewas, the others having occurred in 1991, 1992, and 2001. The Spartans are 1-2 in season openers against the Chippewas, winning the most recent such matchup 35-21 at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 8, 2001.

MSU is 8-3 all-time against CMU, with Central Michigan last notching a victory in 2009. Michigan State is riding a four-game winning streak in the series.

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