Michigan State trip to CMU a great reward to MAC schools, Heeke says

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Michigan State will play at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for the first time in 2012.

“We’ll set the all-time attendance record — I’m very confident of that for a home football game here,” said Athletics Director Dave Heeke. “It will be the biggest event, in my mind, that has ever happened in Mount Pleasant.”

Michigan State will play Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan four times each between 2011 and 2020 in what is being called the “Celebrate the State” series. Each Mid-American Conference school will play at East Lansing three times and host MSU once.

“Quite frankly, I think that’s great that (MSU is) going to reward the MAC schools,” Heeke said.

Heeke approached MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis numerous times about playing a game in Mount Pleasant, but he said he was not sure it would come to fruition.

“I never say never. I want to do big things here,” Heeke said. “We’re a Division-I, highly competitive football program. I want to find ways to bring the best opponents we possibly can to Mount Pleasant.”

CMU will play at MSU in 2011, 2015 and 2018. The Sept. 12 game at MSU this year is not associated with the deal.

Eastern Michigan and MSU will play in East Lansing in 2012, 2014 and 2016. MSU will travel to Ypsilanti in either 2018 or 2020. Western Michigan and MSU will play in East Lansing in 2013, 2017 and 2019, and will play in Kalamazoo in 2015. Michigan was contacted by Hollis, but it declined.

Hollis issued a statement at the press conference Aug. 20.

“The series provides an opportunity for competitive games, positive celebrations and economic benefits,” he said. “Coming off the 2009 NCAA Final Four in Detroit, Michigan State continues to provide positive economic stories for the state of Michigan.”

Hollis also said it gives MSU fans another way to watch live football games.

“The series also provides an opportunity for Michigan State fans to celebrate Spartan football at locations across our state,” he said.

Financially, the guaranteed portion of the contract for payouts has not been finalized.

No respect

Heeke said MAC schools get degraded too often.

“We are a bona fide Division-I competitive football program,” he said. “And the quicker people start to realize that and understand it and believe in it, the better off we’ll all be.”

Last year, CMU beat Indiana on the road 37-34 and lost 32-25 to Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. During 2007’s Motor City Bowl, they lost to Purdue 51-48.

“I think programs like Boston College, Indiana and now Michigan State have seen we are a very competitive program,” Heeke said.

However, the Chippewas also lost by a wide margin to Michigan (41-17) in 2006, Kansas (52-7) and Clemson (70-14) in 2007 and Georgia (56-17) in 2008.

This season, CMU plays Arizona, MSU and Boston College on the road.

CMU has only won two of six games — in 1991 and 1992 — against MSU all-time, with each game on the road.