Cam Edwards’ gritty rushing and a suffocating defense propelled Michigan State past Toledo, though late-game lapses and key injuries reveal critical adjustments needed before the next kickoff.
Closer than the Spartans wanted, but perhaps exactly what Michigan State expected.
Michigan State kicked off its season Friday night in front of a packed Spartan Stadium, giving the Green and White plenty to cheer about in the first half, gasping for air in the second and ultimately breathing a sigh of relief when it was all said and done.
The Spartans came away victorious, defeating the Toledo Rockets 30-20 in their season opener thanks in large part to hard-nosed running, a stout defense for most of the night and exceptional kicking.
The Spartans started the game on defense, so shall we.
Michigan State's Defense Sets the Tone
In the first half, Michigan State's defense couldn't be messed with.
Let's get the bad out of the way immediately. Toledo's lone touchdown of the first half came on a stop-and-go route to Adjatay Dabbs for a 60-yard touchdown. Dabbs burned returning cornerback Charles Brantley and was inside the five-yard line before Brantley could catch up.
Other than that, the run defense was impenetrable and the pass defense was suffocating.
That was highlighted by a spectacular tip-drill interception from Mr. Spartan himself, Kenny Soares Jr., who transferred to Michigan State to play for his former coach, Pat Fitzgerald.
Soares tipped a ball sailing over his head, then followed it through the air before ripping it away from the receiver for the Spartans' first interception of the season.
It was the kind of play that showed exactly what Michigan State's defense could be capable of this season.
However, the second half told a much different story.
The pass defense became vulnerable, with Tre Bell getting beaten twice during a four-play progression that ultimately allowed the Rockets to pull within five points.
Then, on the very next drive, Michigan State gave up a 71-yard touchdown run that completely changed the momentum and sucked the oxygen out of Spartan Stadium.
For the first time all night, Toledo had the lead, taking a 20-18 advantage late in the third quarter.
Finally, though, Michigan State's defense regained its mojo.
The Spartans tightened up when they needed to most and held Toledo scoreless for the remainder of the game, allowing Michigan State's offense to regain control and finish the job.
One big note to take away from the defensive side of the ball was the injury to Jordan Hall. Hall left the game twice and returned both times, but ultimately finished the game wearing a brace on his right arm.
Cam Edwards Leads the Way
On offense, it was the Cam Edwards show.
At first, Edwards looked like a back who simply couldn't be tamed. However, after dealing with multiple injuries throughout the night, his production stalled somewhat in the second half.
Still, Edwards finished just two yards shy of the century mark, rushing 27 times for 98 yards.
Fitzgerald was not afraid to give Edwards the rock. Despite the senior running back coming out of the game twice with injuries, Michigan State continued to rely on him, ultimately giving him nearly 30 touches when factoring in his two receptions.
That workload says a lot about how much Fitzgerald trusts his veteran running back.
The Spartans also proved they don't need a household name at wide receiver to have serious talent on the outside.
Crishon McCray and Rodney Bullard both stepped up in a big way.
Bullard led Michigan State with 90 receiving yards on seven receptions, including a huge fourth-quarter touchdown that helped the Spartans regain the lead. He then followed it up with a contested catch on the two-point conversion to push Michigan State's advantage to seven.
McCray excelled as well, leading the team with eight receptions for 69 yards.
At tight end, Jayden Savoury separated himself as the clear go-to option. His size and physical frame could make him one of the better tight ends in the conference if he continues to develop throughout the season.
The offensive line looked good overall, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Michigan State will need to get much more gritty up front if it is going to keep up with the pace and physicality Fitzgerald wants this team to play with.
Spartans Get the Job Done
Overall, this was far from a perfect showing.
But perhaps that is exactly what Michigan State needed.
Everyone knew this would be a tough matchup against one of the best teams the MAC has to offer, and Toledo showed exactly why. The Rockets didn't go away, even after Michigan State built a comfortable lead, and they forced the Spartans to respond when the game got tight.
Nick Sheridan called a relatively minimal game offensively, seemingly leaving plenty of plays in the playbook and daring his team to win with effort and talent rather than relying heavily on creative play-calling.
In a way, it was almost the football equivalent of Tom Izzo's nonconference scheduling philosophy with the basketball team: put your team in a position to be tested and see if the players can go win the game.
Michigan State did.
The defense looks like it will be a strength, but the Spartans will need to shore up their pass defense after it looked vulnerable at times in the second half.
The offense showed flashes, particularly through Edwards, Bullard and McCray, while the kicking game proved to be another major positive.
It wasn't always pretty, but Michigan State found a way to get the job done.
The Spartans improve to 1-0 on the season and will now turn their attention to Eastern Michigan next Saturday.
