Latest news with #ChrisSolari
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Braylon Hodge, a 3-star LB from Colorado, picks Michigan State football for 2026
Jonathan Smith continues to build Michigan State football's next recruiting class. Braylon Hodge announced Sunday, June 6, via Twitter he committed to the Spartans, their fifth pledge for 2026. A three-star prospect according to the 6-foot-3, 212-pound linebacker from Cherry Creek High in Greenwood Village, Colorado, picked MSU over offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Utah, UNLV, Colorado State and others. Hodge, who took an official visit to East Lansing over the weekend, joins a wide-reaching class of three-star recruits that includes East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman, North Branch offensive lineman Eli Bickel, and tight ends Eddie Whiting (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and Joey Caudill (Mansfield, Ohio). Michigan State football unveiled an alternate Gruff Sparty helmet on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Advertisement Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Braylon Hodge, a 3-star LB, picks Michigan State football for 2026
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michigan State football opener vs. Western Michigan moved to Friday, Aug. 29
EAST LANSING – It will be another Friday night, Labor Day weekend opener for Michigan State football. Coach Jonathan Smith will kick off his second season at 7 p.m. on Aug. 29 against Western Michigan, the Big Ten announced Thursday, May 29. It will be broadcast on FS1, one of a number of early season games which the league released start times and broadcast information for heading into the fall. Advertisement The Spartans get a second straight night game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, when they host Boston College (NBC), a return game for a road loss to the Eagles last season. MSU closes its three-game nonconference schedule at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 13 against Youngstown State of the Football Championship Subdivision (BTN). Homecoming at MSU will be a noon kickoff Oct. 11 against UCLA, with TV to be determined. The Spartans also have the framework without broadcast information for two other games, with Oct. 4 at Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, and the Oct. 18 trip to Indiana starting either at noon, 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. They will close the regular season Nov. 29 at Ford Field against Maryland, time and TV still to be determined. The WMU game marks the 11th time in the last 15 seasons MSU has opened at home on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Here is a look at the Spartans' 2025 schedule. Sunset shines on the northwest end of the Spartan Stadium in East Lansing during the game between Michigan State and Western Michigan on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Aug. 29: Western Michigan, 7 p.m. (FS1) Advertisement Sept. 6: Boston College, 7:30 p.m. (NBC) Sept. 13: Youngstown State, 3:30 p.m. (BTN) Sept. 20: at USC (TBD) Sept. 27: Bye Oct. 4: at Nebraska (noon/3:30 or 4 p.m., TV TBD) Oct. 11: UCLA (noon, TV TBD) Oct. 18: at Indiana (noon/3:30 or 4 p.m., TV TBD) Oct. 25: Michigan (TBD) Nov. 1: at Minnesota (TBD) Nov. 8: Bye Nov. 15: Penn State (TBD) Nov. 22: at Iowa (TBD) Nov. 29: Maryland at Ford Field, Detroit (TBD) Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State football opener vs. WMU moved to Friday, Aug. 29
USA Today
17-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan State football to host 'Meet the Spartans' event in August
Michigan State football to host 'Meet the Spartans' event in August Fans weren't given the opportunity to meet the Spartans during its annual spring showcase event Michigan State football elected to skip a spring game and event this year, but there is another football-related event reportedly in the works for fans to be excited about. Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith told local media on Thursday that the football program will hold a "Meet the Spartans" event on August 21, according to Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press. More details on the event will be shared during the summer. The Spartans traditionally host a spring event for fans to attend and occasionally meet the players. However, Smith and his staff elected to not hold the spring game / open practice this year, which irritated some fans. This has became a common trend across all of college football this year. The Spartans are wrapping up spring practice this week. The 2025 season is set to kickoff on August 30 against Western Michigan -- but don't be surprised if that game is moved up one day to the traditional Friday night opener. Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
USA Today
21-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'No bad blood' for Hoggard on leaving MSU via transfer portal last year
'No bad blood' for Hoggard on leaving MSU via transfer portal last year Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press caught up with AJ Hoggard on Thursday to discuss his decision to leave Michigan State last year "There was no love lost, there was no bad blood" when AJ Hoggard elected to transfer away from Michigan State last offseason. Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press caught up with the former starting Spartans' point guard on Thursday and discussed his decision to transfer last year and his current relationship with Michigan State. Both Michigan State and Vanderbilt -- Hoggard's new home -- are playing NCAA Tournament games in Cleveland this weekend so that provided a unique reunion of sorts for him. Here's a bit of what Hoggard had to say about leaving Michigan State last year and some additional reasoning behind his decision: "I thought it was just time for something new. I really wanted to go pro, but things weren't going the way I wanted to go. So just coming back, getting another shot at college and getting a fresh start." Additionally, Hoggard also talked about his relation with Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and how he still talks ball with his former coach on a regular basis. 'They try to make it seem like me and (Izzo) were at odds the whole time I was there," Hoggard told Solari. "We had a great relationship. We talk all the time. If I play and they're not playing, or we're talking about their game or my game, we keep in touch. And that's how coach is with everybody – everybody that came and put that jersey on whether it was for one year, two years, he's the same way with everybody." Hoggard has started 30 of 31 games for the Commodores this season, averaging 9.8 points and 4.6 assists per game along the way. He has been a key factor in getting Vanderbilt back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017. Hoggard and the Commodores will face No. 7 seed St. Mary's at approximately 3:15 p.m. ET on Friday, and the Spartans will face No. 15 seed Bryant a few hours later at approximately 10 p.m. ET. Read more from Solari's exclusive interview with Hoggard on the Detroit Free Press.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Michigan State basketball up to No. 7 in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Michigan State basketball's NCAA tournament path set, even though the rankings continue to shift. The Spartans dropped one spot to No. 7 in this week's USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, which was released late Sunday. MSU (27-6) beat Oregon in Friday's Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, 74-64, before falling to Wisconsin in Saturday's semifinals, 77-74. That snapped an eight-game win streak and was the first loss since Feb. 11 against Indiana. ANALYSIS: Why Michigan State can make March Madness run to the Final Four The Spartans, who are the No. 2 seed in the South region, open NCAA tournament play against 15-seed Bryant at 10 p.m. Friday at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The game will be televised on TBS, and the winner advances to Sunday against either 7-seed Marquette or 10-seed New Mexico. Game time and TV assignment for Sunday's games will be released late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Contact Chris Solari: csolari@ Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball ranking in coaches poll for March Madness
