FAU Coach Believes Spartan Stadium Has an Edge over the Big House

Florida Atlantic coach Tom Herman is preparing his team for a fired-up crowd at Spartan Stadium. He recently praised Michigan State's stadium and fanbase.

Michigan State University Assistant Sports Turf Manager Brian McDougal, left, and student assistant Nate Booth paint the end zone ahead of the opening football game on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State is nearing the first game of the season against Florida Atlantic. It will mark Coach Jonathan Smith’s first game in East Lansing. Coach Smith and his team are nearly two-touchdown favorites over the Owls. After an offseason of intense recruiting, learning, and development, Coach Smith will soon see his team in action against another team. 

The Spartans do not have many games this season where they are the overwhelming favorite to win the game. However, the infusion of talent Michigan State’s roster received from the transfer portal and the game being in East Lansing puts Michigan State in a favorable position against the Owls.

Florida Atlantic coach Tom Herman is entering his second season as the head coach of the Owls after leading FAU to a 4-8 record last season. Herman notes the many things that make Spartan Stadium unique and says that he and his team will have their work cut out for them in what they expect to be an extremely loud visit to East Lansing. 

“It will be fun to take this team into a hostile environment,” Herman said on Monday. “I certainly respect the heck out of Michigan State and their tradition, their fan base. It’s going to be a really, really difficult place to play.”

Michigan State fans may enjoy that Herman compared Spartan Stadium to Michigan Stadium, saying he believes Spartan Stadium is the louder and more difficult stadium for an offense to operate in. Coach Herman is preparing his team for excessive noise. 

“I just remember – this is no offense to their brothers in Ann Arbor, but that stadium in Ann Arbor holds 40,000 more people,” Herman said, “and I thought the one in East Lansing was significantly louder and more disruptive for an offense.”

As Coach Smith starts his first regular season as the head coach of Michigan State football, he will need a fanbase and home crowd that gives the Spartans a true home-field advantage. A formidable home-field advantage can be the difference between winning and losing a close game, which could be the difference between the Spartans making and not making a bowl game this season.

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