Michigan State is turning its annual Izzone student section campout into something more than a late-night gathering.
The Spartans will play an exhibition game against Incarnate Word on Oct. 2 as part of the event, the school announced Thursday. The game, billed as “The Izzone Campout Game,” is reserved for Izzone members and season ticket holders, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. at Breslin Center.
MSU’s women’s basketball team will be introduced at halftime.
Incarnate Word, which plays in the Southland Conference, went 12-19 last season. The Cardinals are coached by Shane Heirman, now in his fourth year, and he owns a 38-59 record overall.
The exhibition adds another date to a busy preseason slate for Tom Izzo’s team. Michigan State already has an exhibition against Marquette scheduled in Milwaukee on Oct. 25, and the Spartans will host Marquette for an exhibition before the 2027-28 season.
The non-conference schedule is already stacked, with Duke, Arkansas, Tennessee and Gonzaga all on the docket. MSU’s full Big Ten schedule was released this week as well.
Michigan State went 27-8 last season and reached the Sweet 16 before losing to eventual national runner-up UConn. This offseason, Izzo and his staff addressed the departures of starting big men Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler by adding transfer center Anton Bonke. They also signed four four-star freshmen.
The biggest lift, though, may be the return of All-American point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who seriously considered entering the NBA Draft. With that kind of core, expectations around the Spartans are already high, and ESPN’s latest Bracketology update projects them as a 2-seed.
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For Michigan State, the first test is whether it can keep its offense on the field long enough to matter. Winning third downs, controlling time of possession and creating pressure up front are the kinds of ingredients that can turn a rivalry game from routine into uncomfortable for a higher-ranked opponent, and that is where the Spartans will have to live if they want any chance at an upset. The broader challenge is obvious, though, because this one hinges on whether Michigan State can disrupt the quarterback and force Notre Dame out of its rhythm. [Read more 🡒]