Michigan State football's season opener vs. Central Michigan moved to Friday, Sept. 1
Labor Day weekend, Friday night lights and Michigan State football have become synonymous.
The Spartans will kick off Sept. 1 against Central Michigan in East Lansing, the ninth time in the past 13 years their opener at home has been moved to a Friday night. Time and TV network remain to be determined.
The move gives MSU its 11th Friday night season debut since 2011, and the Spartans are 11-0 in those games. They have not lost a non-conference season-opener since 2008 on the road at California and haven’t dropped a home non-conference season-opener since 1998 against Colorado State.
Tucker’s only season-opening loss with the Spartans came at home to Rutgers in a Big Ten game during his pandemic-shortened 2020 debut season, the last time the Spartans opened the year with a defeat.
More: Here's what all 3 Michigan State football QBs said about starting battle
MSU beat Western Michigan at home to open last season, 35-13, on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. The Spartans finished 5-7 last season and missed a bowl game for the second time in Tucker's three seasons.
Seven of MSU’s 12 games this season are scheduled at Spartan Stadium, including a Sept. 23 Big Ten opener against Maryland that will double as homecoming, and the Oct. 21 rivalry game with Michigan.
The Chippewas went 4-8 in their fourth season under coach Jim McElwain, a former assistant coach for the Spartans under John L. Smith from 2003-05. Both he and Tucker also served as assistants at Alabama under former MSU coach Nick Saban, though they were not on staff together at the same time.
The Spartans are 8-3 all-time against CMU, with home losses to the Chippewas in 1991, 1992 and 2009. MSU won the lone meeting in Mount Pleasant in 2012.
More: Michigan State football TE Hamp Fay enters portal; Spartans hosting WMU in '28, '31
MSU's season ticket renewal deadline is May 1, and new public season ticket sales begin June 16. Contact the MSU Ticket Office at 517-355-1610 or by email at tickets@msu.edu for questions or information.
Michigan State football schedule
Here is a look at the full Spartans’ 2023 schedule, with kickoff times and TV networks to be determined.
Sept. 1: Central Michigan
Sept. 9: Richmond
Sept. 16: Washington
Sept. 23: Maryland (Homecoming)
Sept. 30: at Iowa
Oct. 7: Bye
Oct. 14: at Rutgers
Oct. 21: Michigan
Oct. 28: at Minnesota
Nov. 4: Nebraska
Nov. 11: at Ohio State
Nov. 18: at Indiana
Nov. 25: Penn State
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football: Opener vs. Central Michigan moved to Sept. 1
