Labor Day weekend, Friday night lights and Michigan State football have become synonymous.
The Spartans will kick off Sept. 1 against Central Michigan in East Lansing, the ninth time in the past 13 years their opener at home has been moved to a Friday night. Time and TV network remain to be determined.
The move gives MSU its 11th Friday night season debut since 2011, and the Spartans are 11-0 in those games. They have not lost a non-conference season-opener since 2008 on the road at California and haven’t dropped a home non-conference season-opener since 1998 against Colorado State.