The Central Michigan Chippewas will open the 2027 season on the road against the Michigan State Spartans, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Central Michigan had originally been scheduled to visit Michigan State on September 11, 2027, a date first announced in 2020. The matchup is part of a three‑game agreement that began with a 2023 meeting and will conclude with a game in 2030.
According to a contract amendment obtained from Central Michigan University via a state open‑records request, the 2027 contest has been moved up and will now be played on August 28, 2027, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich.
The shift aligns with the NCAA’s June decision to adopt a uniform 14‑week regular season beginning in 2027. Under the new format, FBS programs may start most seasons during what is currently known as Week Zero—the weekend before Labor Day weekend—which will become the standard Week 1.
The 2027 game will mark the 12th meeting between the two programs. Michigan State has won four straight in the series, not including a vacated result in 2023, and holds an 8–3 advantage all time.
Central Michigan’s remaining non‑conference schedule in 2027 features home games against Monmouth on Sept. 3 and Old Dominion on Sept. 18, along with a road trip to Wyoming on Sept. 25.
Michigan State, meanwhile, is slated to host Duquesne on Sept. 4 and Notre Dame on Sept. 18, both in East Lansing.
In Big Ten action next fall, Michigan State is slated to host Indiana, Michigan, Rutgers, and Wisconsin, and travel to Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Washington.