Michigan State Football Schedules Home and Home with Cincinnati Bearcats

On Thursday, right after news broke that Michigan State football would be squaring off against Oklahoma State in 2028 and 2029, the Spartans reached another deal. Following the Oklahoma State matchups, the Spartans would face another Big 12 opponent the following years. Michigan State football will take on Cincinnati in a 2030 and 2031 home-and-home series.

First Matchup Between the Schools in Over 80 Years

Michigan State football has played Cincinnati before, but not since 1946, when MSU lost 18-7. The Spartans won the only other matchup between the schools in 1930, winning 32-0. That first matchup will hit the 100 years old mark as Michigan State football travels down to Nippert Stadium in four years.

The Spartans have yet to play at Nippert Stadium, as they hosted the only two other matchups between schools.

Since the Mark Dantonio era, there have been ties and questions on if the Spartans will face Cincinnati again, as that was Dantonio’s previous stop before his Hall of Fame career with MSU. However, there never came a time when MSU had the space and ability to schedule the Bearcats.

There was also rumors around Luke Fickell becoming the next head coach for Michigan State football following Dantonio’s abrupt retirement in early 2020, but Fickell opted away from East Lansing and would become Wisconsin’s head coach. The Spartans went with Mel Tucker at the time.

Making Sense of the Deal

With the Bearcats’ relatively recent move to the Big 12, it became a much more feasible deal for a home-and-home series, and J Batt and the Spartan athletic department capitalized on it.

The first game is tentatively set for September 14, 2030, in Cincinnati. The return game is slated for September 13, 2031, in East Lansing.

Michigan State Football Ties to Cincinnati

The Spartans, despite not playing the Bearcats in 80 years, have a few ties to the program. As mentioned above, Hall of Fame coach Mark Dantonio started his career there, along with at Youngstown State, a 2025 Spartan opponent.

I will preface this section with a reminder that this is looking four years into the future, with no ties or assistant coaches guaranteed to still be around in 2030.

Additionally, Max Bullough began his coaching career with the Bearcats in 2019. He was joined by running back coach Devon Spalding, who also started his career as a graduate assistant with Cincinnati in 2019.

The Spartans also grabbed Tyler Gillison as an EDGE out of the transfer portal in 2024, but he has since transferred out.

Additionally, the Spartans lost defensive tackle Jalen Hunt to the Bearcats during the 2022 transfer portal cycle, where the lineman wrapped up his eligibility in the fall of 2025.

Former Spartan kicker Stephen Rusnak is currently a redshirt senior with the Bearcats, as well, with his eligibility set to expire following this season.

Interesting Way to End a Big 12-Less Streak for the Spartans

The Spartans are ending a 27-year streak without playing a Big 12 squad in 2028, taking on Oklahoma State in Stillwater. With this additional home-and-home series, Michigan State football is slated for five straight years of Big 12 matchups.

This is in addition to the Cowboys return trip to MSU in 2029, the Cincinnati series, and the return game of a 2016 home game against BYU, with the Cougars hosting Michigan State in 2032. It was originally slated for 2020, but COVID-19 forced a move.

The Spartans have played future Big 12 schools since 2001, including aforementioned BYU. They also played a home-and-home against then-Pac-12 opponent Arizona State in 2018 and 2019.