EAST LANSING - Michigan State's first road game last season was a short trip to a familiar place.
The Spartans boarded busses for the roughly 70-mile trek to Ann Arbor last October and left with a win against rival Michigan.
Their first journey away from East Lansing this year presents different challenges.
No. 15 Michigan State (1-0) will play at Arizona State (1-0) on Saturday (10:45 p.m., ESPN) and face the dynamics associated with a long flight, hostile environment and unfamiliar setting. There's also the sweltering heat to prepare for.
"I think the heat is going to be our biggest challenge, more than anything else out there," senior wide receiver Felton Davis said after practice Tuesday night.