Michigan State’s season opener was the kind of game that left room for both relief and concern. The Spartans handled Toledo 30-20 in East Lansing, but the path to that result was messy enough to keep the temperature somewhere below full confidence.
The offense produced the most mixed feelings. Michigan State scored on all five of its first-half possessions, yet those five drives only added up to 19 points.
That’s the sort of stat that tells you the unit was moving the ball, but not always cashing in. The good news was control: the Spartans owned the ball for 43:16 and ran 83 plays to Toledo’s 41.
The bad news was what happened once MSU got close. Too many possessions stalled in Toledo territory, whether that ended in field goals or failed fourth-down tries.
Seven of the Spartans’ 10 drives, not counting the final clock-draining possession, ended without a touchdown after reaching Rockets territory. That’s enough to survive against a MAC opponent, but it leaves little margin for the bigger tests ahead against Notre Dame and the Big Ten.
A few players stood out on the offensive side. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic played with poise, made smart choices, and finished with 247 yards.
Wide receiver Rodney Bullard Jr. was the top target, catching seven passes for 90 yards and coming through with a clutch fourth-down touchdown in the fourth quarter. Running back Cam Edwards also logged a heavy workload, carrying 27 times for 98 yards.
His 3.6 yards per carry wasn’t eye-popping, but the trouble looked more tied to the blocking than to Edwards himself. Michigan State wasn’t consistently creating clean lanes, and Toledo crowded the box and brought safeties down rather than fully respecting MSU’s receivers downfield.
On defense, the Spartans had a few rough snaps, but the overall body of work was better than the offense’s. Toledo’s damage was concentrated in two explosive plays: a 60-yard touchdown pass to Adjatay Dobbs and a 71-yard run by Connor Walendzak.
Those two snaps accounted for about 48% of the Rockets’ total yardage. Outside of them, Michigan State held Toledo to 3.6 yards per play.
Those big plays still mattered, though. The Dobbs touchdown came after corner Charles Brantley bit on a double move.
On the long run, safety Devin Vaught ended up in the same gap as rush end Kenny Soares Jr. Even with those mistakes, the defense was solid for most of the night.
The only other drive that really hurt was Toledo’s third-quarter scoring march, a six-play, 60-yard possession that took just 2:08.
The numbers behind the defense support the eye test. MSU allowed only 3.2 yards per play on first down, Toledo needed an average of 8.9 yards to go on third down, and the Rockets converted just once in eight tries. Soares also came up with an interception that set up a field goal.
Special teams gave Michigan State one of its best-looking units of the night. LeVar Woods, hired away from Iowa to run the phase, got a strong debut.
Kicker Liam Boyd was the headline act, drilling five field goals and making three from at least 42 yards, including a 51-yarder with 1:55 left that sealed the win. The only real blemish was a blocked 54-yard attempt in the third quarter.
Punter Rhys Dakin, another transfer from Iowa, only had one chance, but he made it count with a 44-yard boot that Toledo fair-caught on its own eight-yard line. Michigan State also won the field-position battle, starting on its own 40 on average while Toledo began at its own 25.
Kenneth Williams gave the Spartans another boost with the ball in his hands. In his first touch as a Spartan after transferring from Nebraska, he returned a kickoff 47 yards to set up strong field position past midfield. After that, Toledo stayed away from him.
In Other News...
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Rodney Bullards path to Michigan State took a strange turn before he ever caught a pass for the Spartans, when a clerical error tied to his academic credits initially left him ineligible. The issue was reversed by the NCAA before a scheduled court appearance, and once Bullard finally got on the field in the season opener, he made the most of the moment with seven catches for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Even with a few drops mixed in, Bullard showed why Michigan State wanted him involved so quickly, because his touchdown and two-point conversion helped build a late lead. The debut also did something else: it raised the obvious question of how much more there is in his game once he and the offense settle in, especially after he already topped his previous season totals in one afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
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For Michigan State fans, the uncomfortable part is less about one play than what it says about what Marsh brought with him out the door. He spent two seasons in green and white as one of the programs most productive receivers, and his departure reopened a familiar conversation about talent, retention and what the Spartans lost before he ever got a chance to fully define his college career. [Read more 🡒]
Alessio Milivojevic Gave Michigan State A Reason To Believe Again
Alessio Milivojevics first start at quarterback gave Michigan State something it badly needed in its 2027 season opener against Toledo: a steady hand. Working within a conservative game plan, he handled the job efficiently, showed good poise and decision-making, and helped move the offense with enough consistency to keep the Spartans on track for a season-opening win.
He finished by distributing the ball around and making life manageable for a team that still had some issues turning red zone chances into touchdowns. Even so, the performance mattered for a program looking for proof that the position could be stable again, and Milivojevic gave the Spartans a reason to think the answer might already be in-house. [Read more 🡒]