EAST LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) -- As the state prepares for Saturday’s monster top-10 showdown between Michigan and Michigan State on Saturday, authorities in East Lansing are also getting ready for the festivities.
No. 6 Michigan is heading across I-96 to take on No. 8 MSU in the first top-10 meeting between the two schools since 1964. Both teams are undefeated and both teams are starting to dream big.
With a game that big, comes a big crowd. ESPN’s “College GameDay” and Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will both be on campus ahead of Saturday’s game, and fans will be tailgating bright and early.
Security is going to be a top priority in East Lansing on Saturday, and police are already making preparations for the big day.
East Lansing Deputy Police Chief Steve Gonzalez tells WWJ they’ll be ready.
“Enjoy the game and enjoy the atmosphere, but do so responsibly and safely,” Gonzalez said.
He says he's okay with Spartan fans celebrating, and taking in the day’s festivities, but that he wants those celebrations to be responsible ones
“The traditions of coming to East Lansing and celebrating the team, win or lose, is a good strong tradition that we want to foster an environment so that people can follow that,” Gonzalez said. “But the destructive behavior -- setting fires, destroying property -- is completely unacceptable.”
Gonzalez, of course, is referring to a years-long “tradition” of MSU students burning couches in the streets. The fad dates back several decades and has been a recurring thing anytime the Spartans play in a game of this magnitude -- win or lose, seemingly.
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While police are warning students and visitors alike, some Spartans think it’s a foregone conclusion that at least a few couches will get the torch Saturday.
“At this point, I think everyone kinda knows it’s gonna happen,” one student told WWJ’s Jon Hewett.
Two juniors said they think police will “let it happen for a while because it’s tradition,” before shutting it down “because they have to.”
Regardless, police will be ready to go bright and early Saturday morning,