- Friday night, Michigan State hosted Florida Atlantic for the first game of the Jonathan Smith era.
- Fans on campus shared their thoughts and hopes for the future under Coach Smith.
- Video shows fans sharing their thoughts ahead of Friday's season opener.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Fans from across the state have flooded to East Lansing for MSU's first home football game of the season. I caught up with tailgaters ahead of Friday night's game to hear what they're looking forward to as the Jonathan Smith era begins.
"Being back here with our Spartan family in East Lansing is just great," Macalister Wells said.
A lot of excitement on campus Friday.
"Just a new era of Spartan football with Jonathan Smith and everything that comes along with having a new coach," Olivia Baylis said.
And hope for the future.
"I'm hoping we're going to go to a bowl game this year, you know," Baylis said. "That's at least what my hope is. I'm cautiously optimistic."
For others, that optimism turned to confidence.
"We're going to get back to a bowl game for sure," Joseph Deschaine said. "Those first four games are going to be important."
But others are just glad to be back in East Lansing for another season of Spartan football.
"Just being a part of the Spartan community and being around the Spartan community is great," Wells said. "Just having everyone here and everyone having a good time. Being back in Spartan Stadium is always just great."
"I love being back in East Lansing," Jamie Richard said. "I'm an '89 grad, all three of my kids are here going to school, so I just love East Lansing and the greater Lansing community."
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