The Black Friday game for the Penn State Nittany Lions has officially been announced. The date of the game has been known by fans, but the time and location of the game have been officially announced. The Nittany Lions will face a Big Ten opponent, the Michigan State Spartans. The Black Friday game will be on November 24th at 7:30 pm Eastern. Here is a look at what to expect, where the game will be played, and why it will be a big weekend for football.
Penn State Black Friday Game
Penn State QB Sean Clifford – Shannon Soboslay/Onward State
The Nittany Lions will face another Big Ten football opponent the day after Thanksgiving. The game will be played under the lights at 7:30 pm. It is an away game for Penn State, but the matchup will be played at Ford Field in Detriot. It will still be a home game for Michigan State, but it will be much more exciting now that it will be played at Ford Field. This also means that the stadium will be busy that weekend.
As always, Ford Field will be in use on Thanksgiving for when the Detroit Lions face the Greenbay Packers. Just the next day will be a game between Michigan State and Penn State. The stadium is able to seat around 65,000 people and is known to fit more than that.
Now, while some may be against conference games being played at a neutral site, there is one reason it is okay. For Penn State fans, this works out well because it will help the Nittany Lions more than the Spartans. The bright side for Michigan State is that many students do go home for Thanksgiving. The home-field advantage that is seen at college stadiums will not be as impactful. Michigan State fans will need to remember that most students are home anyway. It will come down to which school’s fans are going to travel to Ford Field to watch their team.
Penn State Nittany Lions RBs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton – Dan Rainville/USA TODAY NETWORK
Penn State vs. Michigan State Last 5 Games
In the last five matchups between the two universities, Penn State has the lead at 3-2. The last time Michigan State won, it was a Spartans home game. After the way last season went, the Nittany Lions are the projected winners, but the Spartans will be hungry for a win.
Last season, Penn State dominated Michigan State. The game was held on November 26th, and the Nittany Lions won 35-16. Sean Clifford passed for 202 yards in that game, according to ESPN. Wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith even had a passing touchdown. Runningbacks Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton rushed for a combined 160 combined yards. Allen ended the game with 82 rushing yards, and Singleton ended with 78.
Penn State will be starting a new quarterback this season, but running backs Allen and Singleton will both be in year two. The Nittany Lions’ offense is currently unpredictable. It could be a closer game, but it can also be similar to last season. By the end of November, it is expected that quarterback Drew Allar will be well-adjusted. Michigan State struggled in 2022, only winning three conference games. By the time the Black Friday game begins, it will be a big one for both teams.
Penn State Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar – Barry Reeger/AP Photo
Black Friday Game and Big Weekend for Football
Thanksgiving weekend is always big for football. Starting Thursday, there will be three NFL games. The Detroit Lions and Greenbay Packers will be the first of the weekend at none other than Ford Field. The second game will be between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders. The night game will be between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks.
In addition to the Black Friday game for Penn State, there will also be an NFL Matchup. The New York Jets will face the Miami Dolphins at 3 pm Eastern for their own Black Friday game. It will end just in time for everyone to watch the Nittany Lions and the Spartans. On Saturday, there will be a big matchup in the Big Ten. The Ohio State Buckeyes will face the Michigan Wolverines for the final game of the season.
It is safe to say that fans of football will be very occupied on Thanksgiving weekend thanks to Black Friday Games. It will also be the final weekend of Big Ten Football, making it not just a fun weekend but an important one too.
