GREEN & WHITE FOOTBALL

Michigan State football to open 2018 vs. Utah State on Friday, Aug. 31

Chris Solari
Lansing State Journal
Sep 23, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio prepares to lead his team onto the field prior to a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-359727 ORIG FILE ID:  20170923_ram_bc2_077.JPG

EAST LANSING – Michigan State will open the season on a Friday again next year.

The school announced Friday that the opener of the 2018 season against Utah State has been moved to Aug. 31. The Spartans had played their opener for six straight years on the Friday night before Labor Day until this season.

The Big Ten did not allow MSU to move this year's Sept. 2 home game against Bowling Green from a Saturday. Of the six Friday night games, five were at Spartan Stadium and one was at Western Michigan in Kalamazoo in 2011.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.

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