Michigan State vs Furman: Final score, highlights and more

Friday’s Michigan State vs Furman game was a lot closer than people expected, but the Spartans had some solid highlights.

It wasn’t the prettiest win. Heck, it was rather ugly, but Friday’s Michigan State vs Furman game finished with a 28-13 Spartan triumph even though it should have been a much wider margin of victory.

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Tyler O’Connor’s first start was a little underwhelming, even though his stats were solid. He seemed to lock in on one receiver and fail to go through his progressions. That receiver was Monty Madaris who looked like a strong breakout candidate, catching five passes for 85 yards — he had just seven catches through his three-year MSU career until yesterday.

Let’s take a look at the highlights and top players from Friday’s season opener.

Three Stars

1. L.J. ScottThe sophomore running back emerged as the true No. 1, rushing for 105 yards and a touchdown on just 20 carries. Expect that workload to continue.

2. Tyler O’Connor: Although he didn’t show the flashiness of Connor Cook, he did look solid, completing 13-of-18 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. He did have a bad interception late in the game.

3. Monty Madaris: The fifth-year senior is starting to emerge as a true star, catching five passes for 85 yards — both are career-highs.

Highlights

Looking Ahead

Notre Dame is next on the schedule for the Spartans after a week two bye. Playing in South Bend won’t be easy and there is a ton of work to do, but having a week off to dissect what went right and wrong in the Furman game is the perfect situation. Expect the Spartans to come out with something to prove in a couple of weeks.

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