Michigan State beat Toledo 30-20 at Spartan Stadium on Friday night, and for about two and a half quarters, the final score looked nothing like where this game was headed. The Spartans trailed 20-19 late in the third quarter before scoring the final 11 points to open the Pat Fitzgerald era at 1-0.
Final Score and Result
Michigan State 30, Toledo 20, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich., Friday, Sept. 4, 2026
Michigan State outscored Toledo 11-0 over the final stretch to erase a fourth-quarter deficit and win its season opener. It’s the first win of the Fitzgerald era, and it came the hard way.
How the Game Unfolded
Toledo came in expected to be the appetizer in a Big Ten opener. Instead, it led 20-19 with under 14 minutes left, and Michigan State needed a fourth-down conversion to save its season opener from an upset.
That conversion came on 4th-and-1, when Rodney Bullard Jr. hauled in a touchdown catch to put the Spartans back in front, then added the two-point conversion on a strike from Alessio Milivojevic. From there, Michigan State’s defense forced a three-and-out, and Connor Walendzak Toledo’s own running back inadvertently opened the door further when a 71-yard touchdown run swung momentum earlier in the second half, only for Michigan State to answer and eventually pull away.
The dagger arrived with 7:50 left: Toledo drove into position for a go-ahead field goal on 4th-and-8, but the 41-yard attempt missed. Michigan State took over up 27-20, leaned on an efficient passing drive, and let kicker Liam Boyd put it away with a 51-yard field goal to make it 30-20.
Michigan State outscored Toledo 11-0 to close it out the difference between an ugly loss and a statement win in Fitzgerald’s first game.
Standout Performances
Alessio Milivojevic was the story of the night at quarterback, completing 26 of 34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. He also found Bullard for the two-point conversion that put Michigan State ahead for good.
Cam Edwards provided the run game, finishing with over 100 yards of total offense and giving Fitzgerald’s offense a physical complement to Milivojevic’s efficiency through the air.
Rodney Bullard Jr. was Milivojevic’s most-targeted weapon down the stretch: eight catches, 90 yards, and the fourth-down touchdown that changed the game, plus the two-point conversion on the next snap.
A New Era: Pat Fitzgerald’s First Game
Pat Fitzgerald was hired to fix a Michigan State program that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2021, despite reaching the four-team College Football Playoff as recently as 2015. Friday was his first test, and it came against a Toledo team also breaking in a new coach, Mike Jacobs, who took over after Jason Candle left to become UConn’s head coach.
Neither debut was clean. Michigan State let Toledo hang around into the fourth quarter of a game the Spartans were favored to control. But a win is a win in Week 1, and Fitzgerald leaves East Lansing 1-0 with an offense that already looks capable of winning close games, which, given the program’s recent history, is nothing.
What’s Next for Michigan State
Michigan State moves to 1-0 and turns to Eastern Michigan next Saturday, Sept. 12, in East Lansing. The Eagles opened 2026 with a win over Sacramento State before falling to San Jose State in Week 1, a program Michigan State should be favored against, but after Friday, “should” is doing some work.
FAQ
What was the final score of the Michigan State vs. Toledo football game?
Michigan State won 30-20 at Spartan Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.
Who is Michigan State’s new head football coach?
Pat Fitzgerald, hired ahead of the 2026 season, made his debut in the win over Toledo.
Who is Michigan State’s starting quarterback?
Alessio Milivojevic, who completed 26 of 34 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown against Toledo.
When does Michigan State play next?
Saturday, Sept. 12, at home against Eastern Michigan.
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