Michigan State Opens 2023 Season Against Central Michigan Friday Night in Spartan Stadium

Game 1: Michigan State (0-0) vs. Central Michigan (0-0)

Date: Friday, Sept. 1
Kickoff: 7:05 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Stadium: Spartan Stadium (74,866)
Surface: Natural Grass
Parking: Opens at 2 p.m. for donor lots and 3 p.m. for public lots. | More Parking Information for Friday, Sept. 1
Game Day Information: msuspartans.com/gameday
Live Stats: msuspartans.com | Live Stats
Promotions: MSU will "Stripe the Stadium" with even sections wearing green and odd sections/student section wearing white for the season opener.

TV: FS1
Mobile: FOX Sports app
Announcers: Tim Brando (play-by-play), Spencer Tillman (analyst)

Radio: Spartan Media Network | Affiliate Listings
Play-by-Play: George Blaha
Analyst: Jason Strayhorn
Sidelines: Jehuu Caulcrick
Broadcast Host: Will Tieman
Website/Mobile: msuspartans.com/MSU Spartans app/Tune In radio
Flagship Stations: Lansing: WMMQ (94.9 FM)/WJIM (1240 AM); Detroit: WJR (760 AM); Grand Rapids: WBFX (101.3 FM)
Affiliates: 24 affiliates listed at msuspartans.com
Satellite: Sirius/XM (Ch. 121/195), SiriusXM app (Ch. 957)
Pregame Show: Begins at 5:30 p.m.

All-Time Series: MSU leads, 8-3
Series in East Lansing: MSU leads, 7-3
Last Meeting: MSU 31, CMU 20 (2018)
Current Series Streak: 4 by MSU

COACHES:
MSU Head Coach: Mel Tucker
MSU Record: 18-14 (fourth year)
Overall Record: 23-21 (fifth year)
Record vs. CMU: 0-0

Central Michigan Head Coach: Jim McElwain
CMU Record: 24-21 (fifth year)
Overall Record: 68-48 (11^th year)
Record vs. MSU: 0-0

►FIRST-AND-10
• Michigan State kicks off its 127th season of football and begins its fourth season under head coach Mel Tucker on Friday, Sept. 1 against Central Michigan. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1 with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call. MSU will "Stripe the Stadium" with even sections wearing green and odd sections/student section wearing white for the season opener.

• Friday's game marks the 12th meeting between Michigan State and Central Michigan. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 8-3, and have won four straight over CMU, including a 31-20 victory in the last meeting at Spartan Stadium in 2018. The Chippewas won the first two meetings, 20-3 in 1991 and 24-20 in 1992, before MSU then took the next four: 48-34 in 1993, 38-7 in 1998, 35-21 in 2001 and 24-7 in 2004. CMU broke the streak by edging the Spartans, 29-27, in 2009. In 2011, MSU topped the Chippewas, 45-7, and in 2012, MSU traveled to Mount Pleasant and came away with a 41-7 win. The Spartans also won in 2015 during their Big Ten Championship season, 30-10, in Spartan Stadium.

• Michigan State is 8-0 in home Friday night games since 2011 and 10-0 overall in Friday night games during that same time span. All of those games were in season openers for the Spartans.

• This season marks the 100th anniversary of Spartan Stadium, which hosted its first game on Oct. 6, 1923. Michigan State Athletics will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Spartan Stadium throughout the fall. A special logo was created for the 100-year anniversary, which incorporates elements from the structure of Spartan Stadium and also pays homage to MSU's six national championships in football. Michigan State began playing at the present site of Spartan Stadium with four home games in 1923. A series of projects paralleling the Spartans' rise to national football prominence enlarged the steel-and-concrete facility from its original 13,064 seats in 1923 to its present size of nearly 75,000. MSU has won nearly 70 percent of its games played in Spartan Stadium (all-time record: 383-166-13, .693). For more information, please visit msuspartans.com/SpartanStadium100.

• Mel Tucker, the 2021 Big Ten Coach of the Year, begins his fourth season in East Lansing at the helm of the Spartans. In just his second year in East Lansing in 2021, Mel Tucker led MSU to an 11-2 record, a Top 10 ranking, and a win in the New Year's Six with a victory over ACC Champion and No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Tucker was named a finalist for National Coach of the Year by multiple organizations, including the American Football Coaches Association, the Paul Bear Bryant Awards, the Football Writers Association of America and the Maxwell Football Club. He was also named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the coaches and media and the AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year.

• The Spartans are returning 42 letterwinners from last season's team, including 23 on defense, 18 on offense and one on special teams. MSU has 28 position players returning with starting experience, including 10 on offense and 18 on defense.

• Michigan State is 86-37-3 (.694) all-time in season openers, including a 21-3 record (.875) in its last 24 games. In addition, the Spartans are 104-22 (.825) all-time in home openers, including victories in 23 of the past 24 years. MSU has won 22 consecutive home openers against nonconference opponents, dating back to 1998. MSU head coach Mel Tucker is 2-1 in season openers and 2-1 in home openers at MSU.

• Michigan State added 18 transfers to its 2023 roster. Here's a breakdown of the incoming transfers by conference/division:
   • Big Ten (4): WR Alante Brown-Nebraska; TE Jaylan Franklin-Wisconsin; DB Semar Melvin-Wisconsin; P Michael O'Shaughnessy-Ohio State
   • ACC (3): DL Jarrett Jackson-Florida State; K Jonathan Kim-North Carolina; DB Terry Roberts-Miami
   • Independent (3): LB Aaron Alexander-Massachusetts; DL Dre Butler-Liberty; RB Nathan Carter-Connecticut
   • AAC (2): RB Jaren Mangham-USF; DB Armorion Smith-Cincinnati
   • SEC (1): DL Tunmise Adeleye-Texas A&M
   • Pac-12 (1): DL Jalen Sami-Colorado
   • Mountain West (1): TE Tyneil Hopper-Boise State
   • FCS (1): TE Ademola Faleye-Norfolk State
   • Junior college (2): OL Keyshawn Blackstock Sr.-Coffeyville Community College; LS Drew Wilson-Long Beach City College

• Fifth-year senior left guard J.D. Duplain has the most starting experience of any player on the Spartan roster. Duplain has started 35 games at left guard, including 30 in a row, entering the 2023 season. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors the past two seasons and is a third-team preseason All-Big Ten pick by Athlon Sports. Duplain leads an offensive line that returns five players with starting experience, including fifth-year senior center Nick Samac (22 career starts), right tackle Spencer Brown (13 career starts), left tackle Brandon Baldwin (four career starts) and right guard Geno VanDeMark (two career starts). Samac has garnered preseason All-Big Ten recognition from Phil Steele (second team) and Athlon Sports (third team) and was named to the Rimington Award and Senior Bowl Watch List.

• The Spartans are also returning their leading tackler from 2022 as linebacker Cal Haladay recorded 120 tackles, the most by a Spartan since Greg Jones in 2009. A second-team All-Big Ten selection, Haladay led the Big Ten with 10.0 tackles per game. The redshirt junior was a first-team preseason All-Big Ten choice by Athlon Sports and was named to watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Nagurski Trophy.

►A LOOK AT THE 2023 SCHEDULE
• Michigan State opens the 2023 season with three nonconference games – all in Spartan Stadium – against Central Michigan (Sept. 1), Richmond (Sept. 9) and Washington (Sept. 16).

• In the season opener, MSU hosts Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. on FS1. It marks the ninth time in the past 13 years that Michigan State will open the season with a Friday night game in East Lansing, and the second under fourth-year head coach Mel Tucker. It also marks the 11th time since 2011 that MSU will open on a Friday night. Last season, the Spartans beat Western Michigan, 35-13, on Friday, Sept. 2 in East Lansing. MSU leads the all-time series vs. CMU, 8-3, including a four-game winning streak. The two schools last met in 2018, a 31-20 win for the Spartans in East Lansing.

• The meeting against the Spiders at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 will be the first-ever matchup between MSU and Richmond. MSU is 7-0 all-time against FCS opponents. Richmond went 9-4 in 2022 and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

• Washington travels to East Lansing to complete the home-and-home series with the Spartans after MSU went to Seattle in 2022. The Huskies lead the all-time series, 3-1. MSU's only win in the series was the first meeting, a 27-11 win at Spartan Stadium in the 1969 season opener. The game will start at 5 p.m. and will be streamed exclusively on Peacock.

• MSU will open the Big Ten season with Homecoming against Maryland on Sept. 23 at 3:30 p.m., giving the Spartans four consecutive home games to start the season, a first since 2017.

• The Spartans will then travel to Iowa (Sept. 30, TBA) and Rutgers (Oct. 14, 12 p.m.) before hosting Michigan on Oct. 21. Michigan State returns to the road on Oct. 28 at Minnesota.

• In November, Nebraska travels to East Lansing on Nov. 4 prior to a two-game road stretch for the Spartans at Ohio State (Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock) and Indiana (Nov. 18, TBA).

• MSU will close out the regular season against Penn State on Friday, Nov. 24 at Ford Field in Detroit. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on NBC/Peacock. It marks the second-ever game for MSU at Ford Field (2011 vs. Florida Atlantic).

►NINE SPARTANS NAMED TO PRESEASON AWARD WATCH LISTS
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr.
Reese's Senior Bowl

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Spencer Brown
Reese's Senior Bowl

Graduate senior linebacker Aaron Brule
Reese's Senior Bowl

Redshirt junior Maliq Carr
Reese's Senior Bowl

Redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay
Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award

Graduate senior wide receiver Tre Mosley
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, AFCA Good Works Team nominee, Reese's Senior Bowl

Graduate senior center Nick Samac
Rimington Award, Reese's Senior Bowl

Graduate senior defensive lineman Jalen Sami
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year

Redshirt senior linebacker Jacoby Windmon
Reese's Senior Bowl

►SPARTAN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS SINCE 2011
• Since 2011, Michigan State has played 10 home openers on Friday night (10-0 record), including eight in Spartan Stadium (8-0). Here's a look at MSU's Friday night games since 2011:

• Sept. 2, 2011: No. 17 Michigan State 28, Youngstown State 6 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 31, 2012: No. 13 Michigan State 17, No. 24 Boise State 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 30, 2013: Michigan State 26, Western Michigan 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 29, 2014: No. 8 Michigan State 45, Jacksonville State 7 (East Lansing)
• Sept. 4, 2015: No. 5 Michigan State 37, Western Michigan 24 (Kalamazoo)
• Sept. 2, 2016: No. 12 Michigan State 28, Furman 13 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 31, 2018: No. 11 Michigan State 38, Utah State 31 (East Lansing)
• Aug. 30, 2019: No. 18 Michigan State 28, Tulsa 7 (East Lansing)
• Sept. 3, 2021: Michigan State 38, Northwestern 21 (Evanston)
• Sept. 2, 2022: Michigan State 35, Western Michigan 13 (East Lansing)

►UNDER THE LIGHTS PT. 2
• Friday marks the 27th night game in Spartan Stadium history. MSU is 3-0 during night games at Spartan Stadium under Mel Tucker (2021: Nebraska and Western Kentucky; 2022: Western Michigan) and 19-7 overall in night games in East Lansing. MSU's first-ever night game in Spartan Stadium was a 27-13 win over USC to open the 1987 season.

►SPARTANS UNVEIL NEW NIKE UNIFORM DESIGN FOR 2023
• The Michigan State football program has unveiled new uniforms, designed by Nike, for the 2023 season. Members of the 2023 team received the first glimpse of the new uniforms, along with new helmets, at a program event – "Thy Shadows" – Friday, July 28 at the Pasant Theatre inside the Wharton Center on campus.

• The uniforms are part of the Field Utility Special Edition by Nike Vapor F.U.S.E., which combines leading edge fabric technology with a precision fit. It is the first football uniform to meet Nike Dri-FIT standards.

• The new helmet design features the "Spartan Pattern" down the middle while keeping the traditional Spartan logo on the sides. The Spartan Pattern, which was inspired by a traditional Greek key pattern, was designed in 2010 to strengthen the connection to the school's Greek history and nickname.

• The Green and White uniforms also feature the Spartan Pattern along the neckline and on the shoulder pads, while keeping the primary "Michigan State" wordmark across the front which has been used since 2010. The Spartan Pattern is also used down the side of the pants.

• MSU introduced the "Shadows" uniform as well over the summer, featuring a black chrome helmet along with black jerseys and pants. The numerals are in white, outlined by green, and feature the green Spartan Pattern along the neckline, shoulder pads and pants.

Football Uniforms 2023

►MICHIGAN STATE CELEBRATING 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPARTAN STADIUM IN 2023
• This season marks the 100th anniversary of Spartan Stadium, which hosted its first game on Oct. 6, 1923. Michigan State Athletics will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Spartan Stadium throughout the fall. For more information, please visit msuspartans.com/SpartanStadium100.

• A special logo was created for the 100-year anniversary, which incorporates elements from the structure of Spartan Stadium and also pays homage to MSU's six national championships in football.

• Michigan State began playing at the present site of Spartan Stadium with four home games in 1923. A series of projects paralleling the Spartans' rise to national football prominence enlarged the steel-and-concrete facility from its original 13,064 seats in 1923 to its present size of nearly 75,000.

Spartan Stadium 100 Years Logo Infographic Update

►RETURNING STAT LEADERS FROM 2022
Michigan State:
Rushing – R-Jr. Jalen Berger (148 carries for 683 yards, 4.6 avg., 6 TDs)
Passing – R-Jr. Noah Kim (14-of-19, .737, 174 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs)
Receiving – Gr.-5 Tre Mosley (35 catches for 359 yards, 10.3 avg., 4 TDs)
Tackles – R-Jr. LB Cal Haladay (120 tackles, 11 TFLs, 1.5 sacks)

Central Michigan:
Rushing – R-Fr. QB Bert Emanuel Jr. (67 carries for 496 yards, 7.4 avg., 7 TDs)
Passing – R-So. Jase Bauer (35-of-59, .593, 435 yards, 1 TD, 5 INTs)
Receiving – Jr. Jalen McGaughy (20 catches for 313 yards, 15.7 avg., 2 TDs)
Tackles – Jr. LB Kyle Moretti (95 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, 2 PBUs, 1 FR)

►A QUICK GLANCE AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (0-0)
• The Chippewas are coming off a 4-8 mark in 2022, going 3-5 in Mid-American Conference action, tying for fourth in the West Division, the same spot that CMU was tabbed in the 2023 preseason MAC West media poll.

• Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain is opening his fifth season in Mount Pleasant, and his 11th year as a collegiate head coach. McElwain spent three years as an assistant at Michigan State (2003-05) as the wide receivers and special teams coach under John L. Smith.

• Last season, CMU averaged 24.8 points per game to rank seventh in the MAC, while yielding 28.2 ppg on defense, ranking sixth in the conference. The Chips' offense averaged 368.5 ypg to rank eighth in the MAC in total offense, with 160.4 ypg rushing, ranking fourth in the MAC, and 208.1 ypg passing, ranking ninth in the league. CMU had 22 TDs on the ground, good for tied for fifth in the MAC, while scoring 16 TDs through the air, good for ninth in the conference.

• Central Michigan's defense allowed 373.3 ypg, ranking fourth in the MAC, yielding 152.6 ypg rushing, ranking sixth in the MAC, to go with ranking fifth in the conference with 220.7 ypg passing. The Chips' defense yielded 21 passing TDs and 20 rushing TDs, ranking seventh in the MAC in both.

• CMU returns nine starters on defense, anchored by junior Kyle Moretti, who led the Chips in tackles in 2022 with 95 stops, including 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, adding two pass break-ups and one fumble recovery.

• Junior cornerback Donte Kent earned first-team All-MAC accolades last year after notching 15 pass break-ups that led CMU and was second in the MAC. Kent added 51 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one blocked kick. Kent was named to the Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List.

• Two-time All-MAC honoree graduate student defensive lineman Robi Stuart leads the defensive line, logging 30 tackles, 6.5 TFL and 2.0 sacks, with one forced fumble.

• Junior defensive back Trey Jones was second on the team in tackles last season with 85, notching 6.5 tackles for loss, snaring a team-leading two interceptions and three pass break-ups.

• Redshirt sophomore defensive back De'Javion Stepney earned third-team All-MAC as a freshman after posting eight pass break-ups to go with 40 tackles, with 1.0 TFL coming on a sack.

• The Chippewas' offense will be under the guidance of a new starting quarterback in 2023, as redshirt sophomore signal-caller Jase Bauer played in six games last season with one start, while sophomore quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. played in four games with one start a year ago as a true freshman.

• Bauer was 35-of-59 (59.3 percent) passing for 435 yards (72.5 ypg) with one TD and five INTs. A dual-threat QB, he also rushed 53 times for 312 yards (5.9 ypc/52.0 ypg) with four TDs, highlighted by back-to-back 100-yard rushing outings with 109 yards vs. Bowling Green and an identical 109 yards at Northern Illinois, becoming the first CMU QB to rush for 100+ yards in back-to-back games since 2018.

• Emanuel was just 4-for-8 (50.0 percent) passing without a TD nor an interception. Also a dual-threat QB Emanuel led CMU in rushing TDs (7) and rushing yards per game (124.0), while ranking second on the team in both rushing yards (496) and carries (67). He also had three runs of 60 yards or more (87, 75, 60).

• With the Chips' leading rusher Lew Nichols departing for the NFL, junior Marion Lukes will be looked to carry the load, as he was third on CMU for rushing in 2022, with 51 carries for 323 yards (6.3 ypc/40.4 ypg) with three TDs in eight games played, making just one start, a year ago.

• While CMU also lost its top two receivers, junior wideout Jalen McGaughy, who was third on the team in receptions, is the Chips' leading returning receiver, snaring 20 catches for 313 yards (15.7 ypc/28.5 ypg) with two TDs in 2022.

• Senior offensive lineman Deiyantei Powell-Woods was named to Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List, after earning Third-Team All-MAC accolades in 2022 after starting all 12 games at left guard. He will anchor the Chips' offensive line, entering the 2023 season having started 25 consecutive games.

• CMU special teams led the nation last season with seven blocked kicks.

• On the other side of special teams, the Chips will look to replace all players who saw the majority of action in 2022. Junior placekicker Josh Rolston was the back-up kicker, making 1-of-3 field goals, splitting the uprights from 44-yards out, and was 4-for-6 on PATs, and will be looked toward to handle both duties this season. Rolston was CMU's primary kickoff handler, booting 54 kicks for a 59.7 ypk average with 23 touchbacks.

• The Chips will look to replace third-team All-MAC punter Luke Elzinga, as he handled all 55 punts in 2022, and both returning back-ups have yet to punt in a game. CMU newcomer senior transfer Jake Walrath is expected to take over the punting duties in 2023, after posting a 40.9 ypp average last season at Tarleton State.

• CMU does return its leading punt returner in redshirt sophomore wide receiver and punt returner Jordyn Williams, with 15 punt returns for 107 yards (7.1 ypr) with a long of 25 yards.

• Junior wide receiver Irone Jackson and Stepney handled kick returner duties last season. Jackson tallied 12 returns for 220 yards (18.3 ypr), while Stepney had eight returns for 214 yards (22.8 ypr). Adding to the mix is junior receiver Stephan Bracey Jr., who transferred to CMU from Wisconsin, where he averaged 25.6 ypr in his two-year career with the Badgers.

►MSU/CENTRAL MICHIGAN SERIES NOTES
• Friday's game marks the 12th meeting between Michigan State and Central Michigan. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 8-3, and have won four straight over CMU, including a 31-20 victory in the last meeting at Spartan Stadium in 2018.

• The Chippewas won the first two meetings, 20-3 in 1991 and 24-20 in 1992, before MSU then took the next four: 48-34 in 1993, 38-7 in 1998, 35-21 in 2001 and 24-7 in 2004.

• CMU broke the streak by edging the Spartans, 29-27, in 2009. In 2011, MSU topped the Chippewas, 45-7, and in 2012, MSU traveled to Mount Pleasant and came away with a 41-7 win. The Spartans also won in 2015 during their Big Ten Championship season, 30-10, in Spartan Stadium.