Oklahoma State Replaces Canceled Alabama Series with New Home-and-Home Against Michigan State in 2028-29
STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State football moved quickly to fill a major non-conference hole Thursday after Alabama and the Cowboys mutually agreed to cancel their previously scheduled home-and-home series.
The cancellation, announced by both universities on May 7, removes what would have been high-profile matchups in 2028 and 2029. Oklahoma State was set to host Alabama on Sept. 23, 2028, at Boone Pickens Stadium, with the Crimson Tide returning the favor in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 15, 2029.
The primary reason for the cancellation stems from the Southeastern Conference’s shift to a nine-game conference schedule. The expanded league slate created scheduling conflicts for non-conference games, with both programs finding themselves in need of home games during the same seasons.
Alabama and Oklahoma State reached a mutual agreement with no financial penalties attached, a clause allowed under their original contract due to conference-mandated changes.
Notably, Alabama elected to keep its home and home series with the other OSU, Ohio State. The Crimson Tide will travel to Columbus in 2027 before hosting the Buckeyes in Tuscaloosa in 2028. That decision left Oklahoma State searching for a replacement Power opponent to maintain its strength of schedule.
The Cowboys wasted little time. Later Thursday, Oklahoma State announced a new home and home series with Michigan State of the Big Ten.
The Spartans will visit Stillwater on Sept. 16, 2028, while the Cowboys head to East Lansing on Sept. 15, 2029. This will mark the first-ever meetings between the two programs, adding an interesting new foe to future non-conference slates. Michigan State’s trip to Boone Pickens Stadium will also represent the first visit by a traditional Big Ten program to Stillwater in recent memory.
The scheduling pivot reflects broader trends in Power 4 football (the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC). With conference expansion and longer league schedules squeezing non-conference slots, programs are prioritizing high-value, home and home series against fellow Power opponents to boost strength of schedule for College Football Playoff consideration. Oklahoma State, long known for aggressive non-conference scheduling, continues that approach even after the Alabama cancellation.
Looking ahead, the Cowboys have several other prominent non-conference series on the books.
They will host Oregon of the Big Ten in 2026 and travel to Arkansas in 2027 as part of an extended series with the Razorbacks that also includes matchups in 2032 and 2033. Oklahoma State has also locked in a home and home with Nebraska, set for 2034 in Lincoln and 2035 in Stillwater. These games against Power conference foes shows OSU’s continued strategy of building a rugged non-conference resume in the new 12 team playoff era.
Athletic department officials at Oklahoma State noted that the SEC’s scheduling shift was the dominant factor in the Alabama cancellation but emphasized the program’s commitment to competitive non-conference play. The addition of Michigan State maintains the Cowboys’ tradition of facing top-tier competition from other power leagues while securing home dates that benefit fan engagement and revenue.
For Michigan State, the series provides valuable road experience and a chance to build its own playoff resume against a consistent Big 12 contender.
The cancellation and replacement series cap a busy 24 hours for Oklahoma State’s football program. While the loss of Alabama, a perennial national title contender, stings, the quick pivot to Michigan State keeps the Cowboys’ future non-conference slate competitive and home-heavy where it matters most. Fans in Stillwater can now look forward to welcoming the Spartans in 2028 for what promises to be a great early-season showdown.