Liam Boyd made five field goals to help lead Michigan State to a 30-20 home win over Toledo on Friday in East Lansing, Mich, in the season opener for both teams.
Alessio Milivojevic went 26 of 34 passing for 247 yards and a touchdown and Cam Edwards had 98 yards rushing and a touchdown on 27 carries for Michigan State.
Toledo quarterback John Alan Richter was 12 of 21 for 196 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.
Trailing 20-19 in the fourth quarter, Michigan State drove 70 yards in seven plays and grabbed a 27-20 lead with 10:37 left in the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Milivojevic to Rodney Bullard Jr. and two-point pass from Milivojevic to Bullard.
On its ensuing possession, Toledo drove down to the Michigan State 24-yard line, but Reice Griffith missed a 41-yard field goal attempt with 7:50 left.
Michigan State drove down the field and took a 30-20 lead with 1:55 remaining on a 51-yard field goal by Boyd.
Toledo was stopped on downs on its next drive, and Michigan State ran out the clock to end the game.
Michigan State held a 19-7 lead at halftime, but Toledo surged ahead in the third quarter on a pair of touchdowns.
First, Richter hit Adjatay Dabbs for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 8:57 left in the third to cut Michigan State’s lead to 19-14.
Then Connor Walendzak took a handoff, got loose in the middle of the field and outraced the Michigan State defense down the sideline for a 71-yard touchdown run that gave Toledo a 20-19 lead with 13:47 remaining in the game.
Michigan State got off to a good start, holding a 10-lead after the first quarter following a 2-yard touchdown run by Edwards and a 32-yard field goal by Boyd.
After Boyd kicked a 42-yard field goal with 11:37 remaining until halftime to give Michigan State a 13-0 lead, Toledo cut its deficit to 13-7 with 7:50 to go in the second quarter on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Richter to Dabbs.