Michigan State football to play on Peacock and a night game on FS1 this fall

Kickoffs and game times have become a hot topic for Michigan State in the wake of last week’s announcement that the regular-season finale against Penn State has been moved to Ford Field.

And on Wednesday, the upcoming schedule for the Spartans gained even more clarity as more start times and television networks were announced by the Big Ten and its media partners.

The one that will likely have people talking is Michigan State’s Sept. 16 game at Spartan Stadium against Washington. It will kick off at 5 p.m. and air exclusively on Peacock, the streaming service for NBC. It’s part of the new media rights deal the network has with the Big Ten and it’s notable in the fact it won’t air on the main network. Michigan’s season-opener against East Carolina will also air exclusively on Peacock.

Michigan State’s season-opener Sept. 1 against Central Michigan will begin at 7 p.m. and air on FS1. Other start times and network announcements include Sept. 9 vs. Richmond (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network), Sept. 23 vs. Maryland (3:30 p.m., TV TBA) and Oct. 14 at Rutgers (noon, TV TBA).

Michigan State’s game times at Ohio State on Nov. 11 (7:30 p.m., NBC) and Nov. 24 against Penn State at Ford Field (7:30 p.m., NBC) were previously announced. Those games will simultaneously stream on Peacock in addition to the NBC broadcast.

2023 Michigan State football schedule

▶ Sept. 1: Central Michigan, 7 p.m. (FS1)

▶ Sept. 9: Richmond, 3:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)

▶ Sept. 16: Washington, 5 p.m. (Peacock)

▶ Sept. 23: Maryland, 3:30 p.m. (Homecoming; TV TBA)

▶ Sept. 30: at Iowa, TBA

▶ Oct. 7: Bye

▶ Oct. 14: at Rutgers, 12 p.m. (TV TBA)

▶ Oct. 21: Michigan, TBA

▶ Oct. 28: at Minnesota, TBA

▶ Nov. 4: Nebraska, TBA

▶ Nov. 11: at Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

▶ Nov. 18: at Indiana, TBA

▶ Nov. 24: Penn State (Ford Field, Detroit), 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau