Michigan State adds Florida Atlantic, Central Michigan to future schedules

By Kevin Kelley -

The Michigan State Spartans have added the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Central Michigan Chippewas to their future football schedules, it was announced on Wednesday.

Michigan State will host Florida Atlantic at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., on Aug. 31, 2024. The game will mark the fourth meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.

The Spartans and Owls first met on the gridiron in 2008 in East Lansing. Michigan State won that contest 17-0, as well as two subsequent contests in 2010, 30-17, and in 2011, 44-0.

Michigan State and Central Michigan will square off in three gridiron contests between 2023 and 2030. The Spartans will host the Chippewas in all three contests in East Lansing on September 2, 2023, September 11, 2027, and August 31, 2030.

“There is such a great tradition between Central Michigan and Michigan State, and we are excited to build on that with this three-game series,” Central Michigan Zyzelewski Family Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “I appreciate the staff at Michigan State working with us to put together a series that I know our fans and alumni really look forward to and is another great opportunity to play an in-state opponent.”

Michigan State and Central Michigan have met 11 times on the gridiron dating back to 1991. The Spartans won the most recent meeting in 2018, 31-20, and now lead the overall series 8-3.

Central Michigan was previously scheduled to play at Alabama on Sept. 2, 2023, but that contest has evidently been canceled. CMU’s release stated that the Michigan State game in 2023 “…takes the place of a contest scheduled at Alabama.”

Update (06/18/20)

Michigan State will pay Florida Atlantic a $1.4 million guarantee for their game in 2024, according to a copy of the contract obtained from Florida Atlantic University via a state public records request.

Football Schedules