Football Game At Ford Field Provides Exciting Opportunity for Michigan State Athletics

Two years after a season finale in front of a Ford Field crowd full of Spartan fans, Michigan State football will play the final game of the 2025 season at the home of the Detroit Lions. The game vs. Maryland is scheduled to be played on Saturday, Nov. 29 (time TBA), and be part of an extended weekend of football at Ford Field along with the Detroit Lions on Thursday and MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association) on Friday and Sunday.

“Playing at Ford Field is an exciting opportunity for Spartan football,” said MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller. “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.”

Spartan Fund donors and football season ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets in Spartan Fund donor priority order. The game at Ford Field will be sold as a standalone contest, with details, including on-sale dates, to be announced in the near future. There will be designated sections in the lower bowl for Michigan State students, with priority going to 2025 student season pass holders.

“Playing at Ford Field is an exciting way to close out the regular season,” said MSU head football coach Jonathan Smith. “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.”

"We are excited to welcome Michigan State Football back into Ford Field for another Spartan season finale," said Detroit Lions President and CEO, Rod Wood. "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.”

The southeast Michigan area is home to many Spartans. Of the approximately 300,000 living MSU alumni in the state of Michigan, one-third of them are from Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. Forty-nine percent of the undergraduate population who live in Michigan (more than 18,000) are from the same three counties. This is key as the game falls over the holiday break for Michigan State students.

This will be the third appearance for Michigan State football at Ford Field. In addition to the 2023 contest vs. Penn State, MSU played Florida Atlantic in 2010, when FAU moved its home game back to Michigan while still controlling ticket sales and marketing of the contest. The Spartan men’s basketball team has played at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena in four of the last five non-COVID seasons, while hockey has played in Detroit at least once per year since 1979-80 (not including the COVID 20-21 season).