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Michigan State defeats Toledo 30-20 in season opener
Michigan State defeated Toledo 30-20 in their 2026 season opener at Spartan Stadium. The victory marked the coaching debut of Pat Fitzgerald for the Spartans and Mike Jacobs for the Rockets.
Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic led the Spartans, completing 26 of 34 passes for 247 yards. A decisive moment occurred in the fourth quarter when Milivojevic converted a fourth down with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Bullard Jr. The victory was secured late in the game by a 51-yard field goal from Liam Boyd.
Toledo remained competitive throughout the matchup. John Alan Richter threw two touchdown passes for the Rockets, and Connor Walendzak recorded a 71-yard run in the fourth quarter that briefly gave Toledo a 20-19 lead. Despite the win, Michigan State's offense faced criticism for settling for multiple field goals in the first half rather than converting drives into touchdowns.
Entities
Alessio Milivojevic · Michigan State Spartans · Pat Fitzgerald · Spartan Stadium · Toledo Rockets
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic completed 26 of 34 passes for 247 yards and one touchdown. www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Toledo's John Alan Richter threw two touchdown passes, one to Adjatay Dabbs. www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Michigan State defeated Toledo 30-20 in Pat Fitzgerald's coaching debut. www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Liam Boyd secured the win with a 51-yard field goal late in the game. www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Alessio Milivojevic threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Bullard in the fourth quarter to take the lead. www.winnipegfreepress.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kicker Liam Boyd made five field goals during the game.