Boise State has agreed to a three-game football series with Michigan State, Director of Athletics Gene Bleymaier announced Friday.
The Broncos will open the 2012 season at Michigan State (Aug. 31), and the game will be televised nationally by ESPN.
“This will be another nationally-televised marquee match-up to begin the season,” Bleymaier said. “Michigan State is a premier program and we are excited about playing a Big Ten opponent.”
Boise State opened its 2009 season with a 19-8 victory over No. 16 Oregon, and also defeated No. 6 Virginia Tech (33-30) to open the 2010 season. Both games were televised nationally by ESPN.
The series will continue with Michigan State playing at Bronco Stadium Sept. 17, 2022, and the teams will again meet in East Lansing, Mich., in 2023 (Sept. 16). Boise State will receive a guarantee of $1.2 million for the 2012 game and the schools will exchange $300,000 for the games in 2022 and 2023.
The Spartans are currently ranked No. 5 in all three major polls, and their No. 5 ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings is the highest in school history.
With the agreement, the Broncos will move their game at Oregon State to Sept. 24, 2016. Boise State has also moved its 2012 game against Miami (Ohio) scheduled for Sept. 1, and will now play Sept. 15, 2012.
The Broncos’ nonconference schedule for 2012 is as follows:
Aug. 31 at Michigan State
Sept. 15 Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 22 BYU