East Lansing — The NCAA wants Michigan State to play a game at 11 p.m. Eastern time, but it won’t let the Spartans practice that late.

At least not without a petition. The Michigan State football team (3-0) will travel west to Southern California for a night game on Pacific time, a start time that will take the Spartans’ players and coaches into the wee hours of the morning in East Lansing. But because of NCAA rules regarding practice times, Spartans coach Jonathan Smith has to file a petition in order to practice later and acclimate his team.

“They don't allow you to practice anything past 10 p.m.,” Smith said.

Actually, it’s 9 p.m., according to an NCAA rule change from 2017. Athletes cannot be required to practice until 6 a.m., though they can receive medical treatment.

In theory

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