Michigan State opens Fitzgerald era with 30-20 win over Toledo

East Lansing — The start of the Pat Fitzgerald era came with more turbulence than Michigan State wanted to see.

Michigan State began the season with a 30-20 win over Toledo on Friday, Sept. 4 at Spartan Stadium. But it was an ugly one. After leading as much as 13 in the first half, it took a fourth-quarter comeback to ground the Rockets and prevent a letdown.

Running back Cam Edwards ran for 98 yards on 27 carries including a 2-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic threw for 247 yards and a touchdown on 26-for-34 accuracy. Michigan State’s (1-0) offense, however, relied on kicker Liam Boyd to cash in on five of its 10 drives. The Charlotte transfer hit from 32, 35, 42, 48 and 51 yards out, the latter sealing the win in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

For Toledo (0-1), quarterback John Alan Richter threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns on 12-for-21 accuracy, including a 60-yard hookup with receiver Adjatay Dabbs on a first-half go-route. Under first-year head coach Mike Jacobs, the Rockets capitalized on their chances despite trailing more than 20 minutes of possession time.

Michigan State started the game in control, amassing a 212-80 yardage advantage and a 12-point lead by halftime. By the end, though, Toledo had given the Spartans all they could handle.

Up 19-7 out of halftime, Michigan State saw its lead disappear into a 20-19 deficit with 13:47 to play in the fourth quarter. Dabbs — who had caught a 60-yard go route on busted coverage by cornerback Charles Brantley — hauled in a 6-yard corner route to make it 19-14 with 6:49 left in the third quarter. And two plays after Toledo stuffed Edwards on a fourth-and-1 wildcat look 29 yards from the end zone, running back Connor Walendzak broke for a 71-yard touchdown and the lead. Up to that point, Toledo had outgained MSU 140-91 in the half.

BOX SCORE: Michigan State 30, Toledo 20

Michigan State drove downfield with a pair of connections between Milivojevic and Rodney Bullard Jr. — who had to fight the NCAA to get eligibility this season — for 26 and 15 yards. Facing another stallout at fourth-and-1 just six yards from pay dirt, Fitzgerald went with guts. He called a passing play, a rollout right by Milivojevic. In the back of the end zone, the junior from Illinois found Bullard for the go-ahead score. And through coverage, they connected for a two-point conversion to go up 27-20 with 10:37 to play.

Toledo’s next drive, with a 29-yard strike to Dabbs, ended in a missed field goal from 41 yards out by kicker Reice Griffith. Edwards — who left the field injured earlier in the half — returned and helped churn a 11-play, 43-yard drive to seal the win with a 51-yard field goal by Boyd.

Michigan State saw turbulence on the injury front, too. Starting mike linebacker Jordan Hall, its most important defensive player, hurt his right arm in the first half and came in and out favoring it. Starting left tackle Ben Murawski left the field with a right knee injury in the second half but chipped in on the field goal unit. Starting running back Edwards and backup Marvis Parrish also missed time after being helped off the field by trainers.

The first half showed much more promise for Michigan State, a festive Friday opener complete with golden hour rays and tailgate eats. The Spartans didn’t waste time on their first drive, calling 11 runs to two throws, one of those passes a fourth-and-2 call from Toledo’s 45 that led to a 15-yard pickup by Chrishon McCray. Edwards carried the ball eight times for 34 yards on the drive, including a 2-yard touchdown off a direct snap for a 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the opening quarter.

Michigan State didn’t find the end zone the rest of the half, leaning on Boyd’s leg despite big gains including a 47-yard kick return by Kenneth Williams Jr. Still, a 10-0 lead with six seconds left in the first quarter made more points than MSU had scored in the first frame all of last season.

Progress, not perfection, in Fitzgerald’s introduction as head coach. His Spartans showed promise on defense. 

One gaffe by cornerback Chuck Brantley — flubbed coverage on a go-route that gifted Dabbs a 60-yard crib call midway through the second quarter — the Spartans’ defense allowed just 20 yards in the first half. Blitzes from nickel Michael Richard and cornerback Tre Bell kept Toledo quarterback John Alan Richter on his toes. Edge rusher Kenny Soares Jr. even registered a pass breakup and a pick. If Michigan State’s offense looked sluggish after each successive drive, its defense looked like a unit that could make up for that.

And to think, that success came semi-shorthanded. On the second play of the second drive, Hall came up holding his right arm, leaving the field to get assistance from the trainers. He tried to play through the pain with a brace, left the field for more treatment then came in and out the rest of the way. Favoring that arm, he didn’t look his usual self. Next to him, however, Brady Pretzlaff made his first career start and made an impact, with decisive playmaking and crisp tackling.

cearegood@detroitnews.com

@ConnorEaregood

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan State opens Fitzgerald era with 30-20 win over Toledo