The Michigan State marching band will hold a clinic at Edwardsburg High School for six high schools, including Cassopolis and Dowagiac. (Leader photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

EDWARDSBURG — One of the biggest games of the year in college football is the renewal of the rivalry between Michigan State and Notre Dame.

In 2005, fans of the Spartans got a treat when they came to Dowagiac and put on a clinic before performing at the Edwardsburg varsity football game.

Michigan State heads to Notre Dame for Saturday’s match-up, but the Spartans will once again make a side trip, this time to Edwardsburg.

The MSU band will work on its performance for Saturday in Edwardsburg Friday afternoon from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

They will also break into sections with six area marching bands to work on the song “America,” which Edwardsburg, Cassopolis, Dowagiac, Marcellus, Berrien Springs, Brandywine and Buchanan bands have received.

All of the bands will then take to the football field to perform “America.”

Later that night, the Spartan band will head to Dowagiac where it will perform at the Chieftains’ game with Berrien Springs.

“It’s a great opportunity for our kids to see a Big Ten marching band up close,” Edwardsburg Band Director Tom Crowner said. “They are going to show us the ropes, how they go about doing things and fixing things.”

Crowner, who is assisted by Alexis Hiner, is also excited about being able to have the middle school band students also take part.

When all the bands join the Spartans on the field Friday afternoon, there will be nearly 1,000 members stretching from end zone to end zone.

Edwardsburg Principal Jeff Leslie is proud to have the opportunity to host the clinic.

“We are looking forward to it,” he said. “I think it is going to be a tremendous experience for our students to be able to rub elbows with such an accomplished band like they have at Michigan State.”