Michigan State will have to replace Louisiana from its 2024 football schedule after the Ragin’ Cajuns elected to sign a deal to play against Wake Forest instead. The game was originally schedule to take place on Sept. 14 in East Lansing, but MSU now has an open date during Week 3 that it needs to fill.

A pair of Michigan State sources told Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press that an opponent has already been contacted and an agreement will be coming in short notice. The ability to change a scheduled game in college football is generally difficult, as most programs have their non-conference opponents mapped out years in advance.

The Spartans will also have to take on Boston College (road), Ohio State (home), Oregon (road) and Michigan (road) to highlight the 2024 campaign. A date with Maryland on Sept. 7 and the aforementioned trip to take on the Eagles will sandwich the newly-opened date for MSU.

This all stems from Wake Forest having to find a new opponent to play after Army was forced to back out of its game against the Demon Deacons on Nov. 16 due to its move to join the American Athletic Conference. Louisiana will play Wake Forest on Sept. 28 instead.

Michigan State will open the Jonathan Smith era in East Lansing against Tom Herman’s Florida Atlanta squad on August 31, although that date could get moved to the 29th or 30th.