Upcoming Michigan State Spartans football dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Spartan Stadium seat picks before you click buy
The strongest Michigan State seat is a lower-bowl sideline spot between the 30-yard lines, roughly in the middle rows rather than the first few. For a big game where those are scarce, the upper deck on either sideline is the smarter value: you sit high, but you see the whole field and every formation. Spend more only if you want the indoor comfort of the west tower clubs.
Spartan Stadium sits on the Michigan State campus in East Lansing, beside the Red Cedar River. The Spartans play in the Big Ten, and home Saturdays run from late August or early September through November.
- Best view: lower sideline, middle rows, between the 30s.
- Best value for a rivalry game: upper deck near midfield, either side.
- Most comfort: club seats and suites in the west tower.
- Budget and families: the end zones, which are single-level and close to the field.
How the bowl stacks up: west tower, east stands, open ends
Once you know three things about Spartan Stadium, the seating map is easy to read. Both sidelines are double-decked. The premium seating is all on the west side. The end zones are a single level, lower and closer to the turf than either upper deck.
West side
An eight-story addition finished in 2005 holds the press box, 24 suites and between about 800 and 862 club seats (counts vary by source). It is the tallest building in East Lansing. Suite floors 4, 7 and 8 were renovated again, with the work completed for the 2025 season. These are the priciest seats in the stadium.
East side
A lower bowl with an upper deck above, both added to the sidelines in the 1957 expansion. Upper-deck seats here offer the same high, full-field view as the west upper deck without the club price.
End zones
Closer to the field than any upper-deck seat, but judging distance between the 20-yard lines is hard from behind the goal line. Rivalry games often put visiting fans here and in the upper decks, since they buy wherever resale seats turn up.
Sun, by rule of thumb
The field runs north to south. In an afternoon game the sun drops toward the west, so the east side tends to face it and the west side has it behind. Michigan State does not publish a shade chart, so treat this as orientation, not a guarantee. Early in the season, west is the cooler choice. In November, the sunny east side can be the warmer one. Night games make the question moot.
Michigan week and the other East Lansing dates that sell
When Michigan comes to East Lansing, nothing else on the schedule compares. The Paul Bunyan–Governor of Michigan Trophy has gone to the winner since 1953, and the conference guarantees the matchup a slot each season. The 2021 edition, a 37–33 come-from-behind Spartan win with both teams in the top 10, packed in over 76,500.
- Notre Dame: The Megaphone Trophy series is played on and off. As of 2026, the next meeting is set for 2027.
- Penn State: The Land Grant Trophy honors the two schools' shared 1855 founding as land-grant universities.
- Indiana: The Old Brass Spittoon has been on the line since 1950.
Night kickoffs, homecoming, ranked visitors and the Big Ten's newer West Coast members, whose fans rarely get to East Lansing, also push demand up. September nonconference games are the easiest tickets to find.
Kellogg Center to kickoff: a Spartans Saturday
Plan your morning around the Spartan Walk. Each home gameday morning, players set out from the Kellogg Center, cross the bridge over the Red Cedar and file past the Spartan statue to the stadium, with fans packed along both sides.
- The greeting: Whatever the weather, the public-address announcer tells the crowd it is a beautiful day for football.
- Third downs: When the opponent faces third down, a clip from the film 300 plays and the crowd answers with a chant.
- Halftime: Zeke the Wonder Dog chases frisbees across the field, a 1977 tradition revived in 2001.
Tailgaters spread across campus parking, and the tennis courts, the Rock and the north campus library area fill first. Current athletic department rules open the lots at 7 a.m. when kickoff is earlier than 6 p.m.; for evening games they open at 11 a.m. During tailgating hours the campus open-container ban is lifted in parking lots for fans 21 and older, but the walkways next to the stadium remain alcohol-free. Kegs, trailers and tents bigger than 10 by 10 feet are not allowed. Rules get revised, so read MSU's tailgating information first.
Buying Spartans seats: donors first, then resale
Michigan State, like most Big Ten schools, hands out season tickets by donor priority, and the top sideline locations usually require a yearly gift on top of the ticket. Students buy their own package. What reaches the general public tends to be end zone and upper-deck inventory, and the marquee games are often gone to season holders before any public sale.
So for Michigan, ranked visitors and night games, most fans buy resale. Prices rise when both teams are ranked or the game moves to prime time, and they can fall back when the forecast turns cold or a team drops out of the race. The lower sideline carries the steepest premium, and the end zones and upper decks the smallest. Every Reserved Seat order comes with free shipping and no digital transfer fees.
As of the 2024–25 season, a clear-bag policy applies: you may carry one transparent plastic, vinyl or PVC bag within 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a gallon-size clear freezer bag, along with a clutch no bigger than about 4.5 by 6.5 inches. See the MSU Athletics clear-bag page for the latest version.
Spartan Stadium and Michigan State football, 1885 to the Playoff
Football began as a club sport at Michigan Agricultural College in 1885 and turned varsity in 1896. Michigan State joined the Big Ten for the 1953 season and claims six national championships, among them the 1952 and 1965 wire-service titles (the AP and Coaches polls).
Biggie Munn's teams took titles in 1951 and 1952 and won 28 straight games. Duffy Daugherty added titles in 1965 and 1966, and his 1966 team tied top-ranked Notre Dame 10–10 at Spartan Stadium in what was billed as the Game of the Century. Mark Dantonio, coach from 2006 to 2019 and the program's winningest, won Big Ten titles in 2010 (shared), 2013 and 2015 and took the 2015 team to the College Football Playoff. Staffs change from year to year, so check the team site for the current coaches.
The stadium seated 14,000 when it opened in 1923. It gained upper decks on both sidelines and its current name in 1957, permanent lights in 2017 and a natural grass field. The 2005 tower lifted listed capacity to 75,005; chairback seating installed in 2021 trimmed the school's figure to 74,866. The biggest crowd, 80,401, came for Notre Dame on September 22, 1990.
Frequently asked questions
Is the upper deck at Spartan Stadium worth it?
For a high-demand game, yes. Upper-deck seats near midfield on either sideline show the whole field and usually cost far less than lower sideline seats, though you sit high and farther from the players.
Where are the club seats at Spartan Stadium?
In the west side tower completed in 2005, which holds the press box, 24 suites and roughly 800 to 862 club seats. Several suite floors were renovated for the 2025 season.
What is the capacity of Spartan Stadium?
The school lists 74,866 after chairbacks were added in 2021; the older figure was 75,005. The record crowd of 80,401 came for Notre Dame in 1990.
When does the Spartan Walk start?
It happens the morning of every home game, from the Kellogg Center over the Red Cedar to the stadium. The athletic department posts the exact time with each game's schedule.
When do tailgating lots open for Michigan State games?
At 7 a.m. for any kickoff before 6 p.m., and at 11 a.m. for night games, under current MSU guidance. Confirm on the school's tailgating page.
Does Michigan State play Michigan at home every year?
The rivalry is played every year, but the site alternates, so East Lansing hosts it every other season. Check the schedule to see which years are home games.