“Playing at Ford Field is an exciting opportunity for Spartan football,” Haller said. “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.”

Detroit has become a vital market for MSU to move games away from campus.

Approximately a third of MSU’s living alumni are from Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. The men’s basketball team has played at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena in four of the last five non-COVID seasons as well as at Ford Field, while hockey has played in Detroit at least once per year since 1979-80 (not including the COVID 2020-21 season).

“We are excited to welcome Michigan State Football back into Ford Field for another Spartan season finale,” Rod Wood, Lions president and CEO, said in a statement. “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.”