FOX Schedule Release: The Spartans' game at Oregon, the Spartans' first soiree with a new Big Ten member joining from the former Pac-12, will be played Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. on Fox in Eugene, Oregon. The game was originally scheduled for Oct. 5, just before the Spartans' first of two byes.
The news last week that Michigan State football is playing two Friday night games this season — neither of them, as of now, the opener — was largely met with a collective groan from MSU fans.
Initially, the prevailing frustration seemed to be that MSU playing on the road at Oregon on a short week, six days after hosting Ohio State, (is) a competitive disadvantage. While true, this might not be the season to worry about that. If this were a year MSU planned to be in contention, I’d say howl away. But in Year 1 of a new regime, coming off a 4-8 season, with half the roster turning over.....
It’s a semi-homecoming for new Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith, who left Oregon State last winter, and a few of the Beavers joined him in East Lansing. Plus, both Michigan State and Oregon provide quality viewership numbers, which made it attractive for Fox.
“For TV, it works really well,” said Big Ten chief operating officer Kerry Kenny, who handles football scheduling, “For the competitive side of things, that’s a lot to ask of a program or a first-year head coach playing two of the top five teams in the country back-to-back weeks. Alan Haller, the AD at Michigan State, has done a really great job of expressing a lot of their thoughts since that Friday piece was announced. So it’s our job to take that information and learn from it and react to it in a way that we’re not just putting Michigan State in that same situation next year. But we’re also making sure that if we can avoid it, we don’t put any of our 18 teams in a similar situation.”
Couch: 3 quick takes on MSU football's Friday schedule, players transferring to rival schools and Izzo's 'die trying' promise
Here are 3 quick takes from Graham Couch on MSU football's Friday night slate, players transferring to rival schools, and Izzo's "die trying" promise.
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The news last week that Michigan State football is playing two Friday night games this season — neither of them, as of now, the opener — was largely met with a collective groan from MSU fans.
Initially, the prevailing frustration seemed to be that MSU playing on the road at Oregon on a short week, six days after hosting Ohio State, (is) a competitive disadvantage. While true, this might not be the season to worry about that. If this were a year MSU planned to be in contention, I’d say howl away. But in Year 1 of a new regime, coming off a 4-8 season, with half the roster turning over.....
Tough break for Michigan State
If any program pulled the short competitive straw, it was Michigan State. In a span of six days, the Spartans host Ohio State on Sept. 28 then travel to Oregon on a Friday. Both the Buckeyes and Ducks are likely to begin the season ranked in the top five.It’s a semi-homecoming for new Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith, who left Oregon State last winter, and a few of the Beavers joined him in East Lansing. Plus, both Michigan State and Oregon provide quality viewership numbers, which made it attractive for Fox.
“For TV, it works really well,” said Big Ten chief operating officer Kerry Kenny, who handles football scheduling, “For the competitive side of things, that’s a lot to ask of a program or a first-year head coach playing two of the top five teams in the country back-to-back weeks. Alan Haller, the AD at Michigan State, has done a really great job of expressing a lot of their thoughts since that Friday piece was announced. So it’s our job to take that information and learn from it and react to it in a way that we’re not just putting Michigan State in that same situation next year. But we’re also making sure that if we can avoid it, we don’t put any of our 18 teams in a similar situation.”
