2022 was a season to forget for the Michigan State Spartans, finishing 5-7 in a major step back from their 11-2 2021 campaign. The 5-7 record included losses in all three of their rivalry games (Indiana, Michigan, and Penn State). Furthermore, long-time starting quarterback Payton Thorne opted to transfer, choosing to join Hugh Freeze at Auburn.
Meanwhile, Penn State is expected to vie for the Big Ten title this season. They have been building towards this point for a number of years and 2023 feels like the best year to do it. The Nittany Lions have a number of highly-regarded draft prospects, such as offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. Furthermore, they have a new quarterback in Drew Allar after the graduation of Sean Clifford. This could be Penn State's year. This belief is exacerbated by the loss of major starters for both Michigan and Ohio State. However, both programs still remain at the top of the conference power rankings.
Michigan State V Penn State to Anchor Thanksgiving Coverage
The first game between Michigan State and Penn State was played in 1914, with the fixture becoming an annual tradition in 1993 when Penn State joined the Big Ten. The two schools are the the oldest land grant colleges in the United States. Therefore, the rivalry trophy is thus known as the "Land Grand Trophy". The all-time rivalry record is tied at 18-18-1. Furthermore, the teams are 5-5 in their last 10 matchups. However, Penn State has won three of the last four matchups.
Additionally, the 2023 edition of the game will get an all-star setting. As part of a broadcasting deal with NBC, the game will be played at Ford Field in Detroit. As per tradition, the game is the season finale for both schools. Furthermore, the game will serve as part of NBC's Thanksgiving Weekend coverage, which will also feature a Lions-Packers game on Thanksgiving as well as the Michigan state football championships. The Spartans-Nittany Lions matchup will have a primetime slot on Black Friday (November 24). "We anticipate that the experience will be so much more than a football game for our Spartan faithful," Michigan State AD Allen Haller said in a statement.
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