There are conventional ways to slow down a pass rush. Then there is whatever happened during Michigan State’s season-opening victory over Toledo on Friday night.
The Spartans opened the Pat Fitzgerald era with a 30-20 victory at Spartan Stadium, but one unusual play from the game quickly attracted attention on social media. With Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic trying to operate in the pocket, a Toledo defender attempting to get to him ended up being stopped in a rather unconventional fashion. The moment was entertaining enough that FOX College Football couldn’t resist highlighting it after the game.
“That’s one way to stop the pass rush 🤣,” FOX College Football posted on X.
That play was one of many in a 30-20 Spartans win over the Rockets.
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Michigan State Survives Toledo in Pat Fitzgerald’s Debut
While the viral moment offered some entertainment, Michigan State had to work considerably harder than the final 10-point margin might suggest.
The Spartans led 19-7 at halftime, with kicker Liam Boyd accounting for five field goals after Cam Edwards scored Michigan State’s first touchdown of the season.
Toledo refused to disappear.
Adjatay Dabbs caught his second touchdown of the night in the third quarter before Connor Walendzak broke loose for a 71-yard touchdown run early in the fourth. Suddenly, Michigan State trailed 20-19.
Milivojevic delivered when the Spartans needed him most.
Facing fourth down, the Michigan State quarterback connected with Rodney Bullard Jr. for a five-yard touchdown that put the Spartans back in front. Michigan State added the two-point conversion before Boyd eventually drilled a 51-yard field goal to help put the game away.
Milivojevic finished with 247 passing yards and a touchdown as Michigan State secured Fitzgerald’s first victory as the program’s head coach. It was also Fitzgerald’s first win as a college head coach since Northwestern defeated Nebraska in August 2022.
It wasn’t always pretty, and one particular pass-protection sequence certainly wasn’t something coaches will be teaching from the playbook.
But Michigan State is 1-0; Fitzgerald has his first Spartans victory and Friday night’s opener produced one of the more unusual viral plays of the young college football season.
