By Rob Bennett, WKAR Sports
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-923032.mp3
East Lansing, MI – Though they'll be playing in Detroit this Saturday, Michigan State University will technically be the road team when they square off against Florida Atlantic. The Owls originally planned to be the home team in the matchup, but their new stadium won't be ready until next season. This will be just the second time the Spartans and Owls have played each other, and oddsmakers favor MSU to win by four touchdowns.
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For the first time in over 60 years, Michigan State will leave the friendly confines of Spartan Stadium to play a football game in downtown Detroit. With many players from the area, Coach Dantonio is excited for many members of his team to be able to play in front of family and friends.
"I think that it is very important that our players get the opportunity to go back, a lot of them played championship games there, and they will certainly have family and friends down there," Dantonio says. "Just the exposure we will get from going back down there will be unique for them a little bit, our players are excited going down and we are looking forward to it."
The opponents for the green and white this Saturday at Ford Field are the Owls of Florida Atlantic. They come in with a 1-0 record. This marks just the second time these two schools have ever met on the gridiron. MSU was victorious back in 2008 by a score of 17-0 in East Lansing.
Florida Atlantic head coach Howard Schnellenberger has great respect for the Michigan State program and coach Dantonio.
"I am obviously impressed with Michigan State; we stood in with them two years ago and on the years before that," Schnellenberger says. "I see a very confident coach, a very confident football team playing the defenses they believe in, muscling up man to man offense against defense. They measure up to everyone they play, they are in the Big Ten and obviously we are looking to get that type of ability."
Schnellenberger led the Miami Hurricanes to a national championship in 1983, and Dantonio knows not to take any team under his direction lightly. This includes Florida Atlantic, who since 2001 has become a very respectable Division One program.
"When you play a guy like Coach Schnellenberger, it allows you to pause and think about where you are at in this coaching profession. What they do utilizes their personnel very effectively, what they do compliments one thing after another," Dantonio says. "In other words, when they run a play they have things to compliment that specific play. When they do things formationally, they have things to compliment that formation. They are very well tied together and a well coached football team. Defensively they are very active, they run, so it is going to be a challenge for us as every game is."
Kickoff for the Michigan State versus Florida Atlantic football game at Ford Field is at noon this Saturday.