Michigan State moves regular season finale against Maryland to Ford Field

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State has moved its 2025 regular season finale against Maryland to Ford Field, the program announced Wednesday. The game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 29, with the kickoff time yet to be determined. 

It marks the second time in three years that the Spartans will play their regular season finale at the home of the Detroit Lions. In 2023, 51,927 fans attended Michigan State’s 42-0 loss to No. 11 Penn State at Ford Field.

The game will occur two days after the Detroit Lions host their annual Thanksgiving day contest. The MHSAA state championships also will take place in the venue on Friday and Sunday.

“Playing at Ford Field is an exciting opportunity for Spartan football,” Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said in a statement released by the university. “The 2023 game proved that this can be a successful and enjoyable venture. I heard from fans, donors, students, and media, all of whom universally raved about their experience at Ford Field. We witnessed what the Detroit Lions experience every game, that Ford Field can be a tremendous home field advantage. Our student-athletes dream of playing in the NFL and to have the opportunity to play in that stadium is a thrill for them as well.

“Michigan State University has a strong connection with the city of Detroit, and our teams have repeatedly experienced an outpouring of support in the 313. Spartan fans fill the venue and wear their Green and White with pride throughout the streets of Detroit.

“We are very thankful for Ford Field and the Detroit Lions, and all their work to host this game. Beyond that, we’re grateful for our ongoing partnership with the MHSAA and their accommodations in shifting their weekend schedule. Together, we’re able to provide a great four-day weekend of football in a terrific setting.”

Michigan State has hosted several athletic events in Detroit in recent years. The Spartan football team’s first game at Ford Field came in 2010, when they beat Florida Atlantic, 30-17. 

The men’s basketball program beat Oakland, 77-58, at Little Caesars Arena last December. The year prior, Michigan State beat Baylor, 88-64, at the home of the Detroit Pistons. In all, Tom Izzo’s team has played at Little Caesars Arena in four of the last six seasons. 

Additionally, Michigan State’s hockey team has played in Detroit at least once per year since the 1979-80 season, excluding the 2020-21 COVID-19 season.

One-third of Michigan State’s 300,000 living alumni are from the metro Detroit counties of Oakland, Wayne and Macomb, according to the university. 

“Playing at Ford Field is an exciting way to close out the regular season,” Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith said in a statement released by the university. “We will have an opportunity to play in one of the best venues in the NFL in front of our fans, which will create a great atmosphere and a home field advantage for our players.

“We are looking forward to playing in Detroit, a city that means so much to our program and university.” 

The game will be sold as a standalone contest, according to the university. Information about ticket sales will “be announced in the near future.” Spartan Fund donors and football season ticket holders will be able to purchase tickets in Spartan Fund donor priority order, the university said.

The program announced that sections of the venue’s lower bowl will be reserved for Michigan State students, with priority going to 2025 student season pass holders. 

“We are excited to welcome Michigan State Football back into Ford Field for another Spartan season finale,” Detroit Lions President and CEO Rod Wood said in a statement released by the university. “Thanksgiving and football have been a staple in Detroit for the past 91 years and this year will be a true celebration of the game at every level. It is an honor to connect all levels of the game by kicking off the weekend with the Lions and featuring the Big Ten and MHSAA State Championships throughout an amazing four days of football.”