A 71-yard run gave Toledo the lead with 12 minutes to play. It did not hold. Watch Toledo vs Michigan State highlights on FOX Sports or stream on FOX One. The Friday night season opener for both programs in Week 1 of the 2026 college football season came from Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.

Michigan State won 30-20 in the first meeting between the schools since 1925, moving the all-time series to 2-0.

Toledo vs Michigan State Highlights

Pat Fitzgerald and Mike Jacobs each coached their first game in charge of these programs, and Fitzgerald got the win. Kicker Liam Boyd carried Michigan State early, going 5-for-6 with a career-best 51-yarder, the most field goals by a Spartan kicker in his debut. Alessio Milivojevic threw for 247 yards on 26-of-34 passing and Cam Edwards ground out 98 yards on 27 carries. Toledo stayed dangerous on far less work: Connor Walendzak’s career-long 71-yard touchdown run put the Rockets up 20-19 early in the fourth, and John Alan Richter found Adjatay Dabbs twice for scores. Michigan State answered on 4th-and-1 with a 5-yard touchdown to Rodney Bullard Jr., who also caught the two-point conversion, then closed on an 11-0 run. The possession gap tells the story: the Spartans held the ball 43:16 to 16:44 and ran 83 plays to Toledo’s 41. You can stream Toledo vs Michigan State recaps on FOX One. FOX One brings together live FOX College Football games, highlights, expert coverage, and live and on-demand FOX programming, all in one place. Start your 3-day free trial and stream on supported devices.

Where to Watch Toledo Rockets vs Michigan State Spartans Football

• When: Friday, September 4, 2026
• Time: 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
• Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI
• Final Score: Michigan State 30 - Toledo 20
• TV Channel: FS1
• Live Stream: FOX One

FOX College Football Schedule 2026 - Week 2

Friday, Sept. 11, 2026

• Missouri vs Kansas - 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT

Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026

• Oklahoma vs Michigan - 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
• Wake Forest vs Purdue - 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
• Howard vs Indiana - 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
• Arizona vs BYU - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Duke vs Illinois - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Eastern Michigan vs Michigan State - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Utah State vs Washington - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Bowling Green vs Nebraska - 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT
• San Diego State vs UCLA - 7:15 p.m. ET / 4:15 p.m. PT
• Western Illinois vs Wisconsin - 7:15 p.m. ET / 4:15 p.m. PT
• Ohio State vs Texas - 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
• North Dakota State vs Air Force - 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT
• Louisiana vs USC - 11:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT

FOX College Football Schedule 2026 - Week 1

Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026

• UMass vs Rutgers - 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT
• UAB vs Illinois - 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT

Friday, Sept. 4, 2026

• Indiana State vs Purdue - 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT
• Toledo vs Michigan State - 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
• Fresno State vs USC - 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT

Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026

• North Texas vs Indiana - 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
• Ohio vs Nebraska - 12:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 a.m. PT
• Ball State vs Ohio State - 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT
• Boston College vs Cincinnati - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Marshall vs Penn State - 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
• Northern Illinois vs Iowa - 4:15 p.m. ET / 1:15 p.m. PT
• Abilene Christian vs Texas Tech - 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT
• Clemson vs LSU - 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
• Hampton vs Maryland - 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
• South Dakota State vs Northwestern - 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT
• Central Michigan vs New Mexico - 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT

Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026

• Louisville vs Ole Miss - 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT

Michigan State is 2-0 against Toledo, though the programs have played only twice in 101 years. The Spartans took the first 58-0 on Nov. 8, 1925, in East Lansing, and finally scheduled the rematch for 2026, winning 30-20 at Spartan Stadium. Toledo came closer than the series record suggests, leading 20-19 in the fourth quarter before Michigan State scored the game’s final 11 points.