​Usually, Thanksgiving, CBS Sports, and Detroit signals one unmistakable image: Detroit Lions football. Yet this year’s trio of buzzwords could lead to a very different, yet equally thrilling Thanksgiving spectacle. The scheduled matchup pairs Arkansas and Michigan State at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit at 4:30 p.m. EST, coming hot on the heels of the Lions hosting the Chicago Bears at Ford Field.
“I love any opportunity to play in Detroit and at Little Caesars Arena,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said in a press release. “When you have a chance to participate in a game that will create lasting memories for your players and our program, you seize it. It’s the second straight year we’ll face a very talented Arkansas squad, and it gives me another chance to test myself against one of my closest friends in college basketball, John Calipari.”
“Our program has benefited from playing this game, on the court and in terms of national exposure. Last year, our Thanksgiving Day game on CBS was the most-viewed college basketball broadcast of the season, and among the most-watched regular-season games in more than three decades. I’m confident the matchup with Michigan State will mirror that success. Izzo is a great friend, and I never enjoy facing friends because, inevitably, someone has to lose,” Razorbacks coach John Calipari said in a release.
Fans can anticipate seeing Jeremy Fears Jr. for the Spartans and Billy Richmond for the Razorbacks, both of whom returned to school after weighing their NBA futures.
For ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions, follow College_Wire on X and College_Wires on Threads, and like the page on Facebook. This preview originally appeared on College Sports Wire, highlighting a heavyweight SEC-Big Ten showdown set for Thanksgiving Day for those seeking deeper insight and broader context.