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Izzo and Calipari Plan Michigan State–Arkansas on Thanksgiving in Detroit

The matchup targets the NFL Thanksgiving lead-in that delivers outsized TV audiences.

Overview

  • Tom Izzo said on Tuesday on a Michigan radio show that Michigan State will face Arkansas on Thanksgiving at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
  • Izzo added that tipoff is expected about an hour after the Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving game, positioning the event for a prime TV window.
  • John Calipari later backed the plan on social media, calling it a CBS national telecast and saying the teams pushed back the Fayetteville date to play in Detroit.
  • Despite the coaches’ statements, a source with knowledge said a contract is not yet finalized, so some details remain to be confirmed.
  • The plan reshapes a two-year home-and-home that began Nov. 8, 2025 in East Lansing, and Calipari said Michigan State will still make a future visit to Bud Walton Arena.