BREAKING: Time Set for Spartans' Week 8 Homecoming vs. Iowa
Michigan State (3-3) now knows what time it will host its Week 8 Homecoming game against Iowa (3-2) on Saturday, Oct. 19.
The Big Ten announced on Tuesday that the Spartans' Week 8 meeting with the Hawkeyes is set for 7:30 p.m. It will be the fourth straight game Michigan State plays under the lights.
The Week 8 matchup will be the 50th all-time meeting between a pair of storied Big Ten programs.
Homecoming on B1G Saturday Night
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) October 7, 2024
🗓️ Saturday, Oct. 19
🕢 7:30 pm ET
📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/Z1RtPvt5Px
The Spartans will utilize a much-needed upcoming bye week before battling their fourth conference opponent of the season. Dating back to the road game against Boston College in Week 4, the Green and White have not played a day game and will continue to be an after-dark type of team.
This is a matchup that is not played too often as the Spartans have only played the Hawkeyes twice since 2017. Due to the previous rules of the Big Ten conference being split up between East & West, this is a pairing that was seldom seen.
Recent success against the Hawkeyes has been hard to come by as the Spartans are 0-2 in the previous two meetings without being able to generate much offense against a notoriously difficult defense.
For a team that allowed just 12 points per game in the regular season last year, that number has nearly doubled so far in 2024. The Hawkeyes are allowing 22.5 points per game, the highest that number has been through five games in 22 years.
In the past three meetings, the Spartans have only been able to score 40 points against the Hawkeye defense. This year could be much different and with the immense star power in the wide receiver room, quarterback Aidan Chiles will look to take advantage of a weaker secondary defense.
The Hawkeyes are led by head coach Kirk Ferentz, who is in his 25th season at the helm of the program. He has brought two big ten championship (2002, 2004) and 20 bowl game appearances to Iowa City, including a Rose Bowl appearance in 2015.
The current offense is led by former Michigan Wolverine quarterback, Cade Mcnamara, who transferred to Iowa after the 2022 season. He has completed just under 64% of his passes this season with three touchdown strikes and three interceptions, leading his team to a 3-2 record.
This will be somewhat of a rubber match between both squads as the Spartans hold a 10-10-1 record all-time at home against the Hawkeyes. With it being homecoming at Spartan Stadium, expect one of the more ruckus crowds against a team that is extremely beatable.
Iowa will play the Washington Huskies this Saturday at home. Spartans coach Jonathan Smith and his staff will be keeping a close eye on that game in an attempt to pinpoint any signs of weakness that can be used to their advantage in a primetime Saturday night Big Ten battle in a couple of weeks.
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