The junior quarterback said the experience the team gained to open the season will pay big dividends this Saturday.

“I think already having one big night game under our belt as a team is going to help tremendously,” Maxwell said. “It kind of takes a little bit of the shock … out of it, because a night game is definitely a different kind of game.”

The preparation for a night game is different than the standard afternoon game and can take some getting used to.

Senior tackle Fou Fonoti said the most important skill for players to master before a night game is patience.

“(The) one thing that’s really going to kill you is that anticipation,” Fonoti said.
“You’re waiting at the hotel, doing walkthroughs, doing meetings, so a lot of that starts to build up … With morning games, it feels like everything’s moving fast. You go straight to it, take care of business and next thing you know, you enjoy the rest of your day. (With) night games you have to continue to be more patient.”

The need for patience isn’t exclusive to players.

Offensive coordinator Dan Roushar said night games are something coaches dread, but ultimately create a great atmosphere.

“For coaches, playing a night game is a nightmare, because you’ve got to wait all day and worry about all of the things that you do,” Roushar said. “But I think our kids will be excited. It’s a great environment. … And the last time we played (Notre Dame) in a night venue, it was a classic.”

Head coach Mark Dantonio agreed with Maxwell’s assessment that the season opener against Boise State will help his quarterback Saturday.

“Spartan night games have always been really unique and exciting here, (and) I think if you make it a commonplace thing, maybe a little bit of that shine wears off a little bit,” Dantonio said. “For our players, … it’s a little bit more like high school and I think it’s exciting for them.”