Post-Game Notes: Furman
9/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
With the 28-13 victory over Furman, MSU improved to 81-36-3 all-time in season openers, including a 16-2 record in its last 18 games. The Spartans have won their last eight season openers.
Michigan State improved to 99-21 all-time in home openers, including an 18-game winning streak that began in 1999 with a win over Oregon. The 18-game home-opening winning streak is the third-longest active streak in the nation. Mark Dantonio is 10-0 in home openers at MSU.
Dantonio improved to 34-12 against non-conference opponents, including a 26-2 mark in Spartan Stadium. Dantonio is 25-1 in games against teams outside of the Power Five conferences.
Dantonio has compiled an 11-2 record in 13 season-opening games as a head coach. Dantonio is 9-1 in season-opening games at MSU.
Senior quarterback Tyler O'Connor, in his first career home start and second career start overall, recorded career highs for completions (13), pass attempts (18), passing yards (190) and passing touchdowns (3) . . . he threw a 13-yard TD pass to Felton Davis III in the second quarter, a 21-yard TD to Josiah Price in the third quarter and a 12-yard TD to Jamal Lyles in the fourth quarter.
Senior tight end Josiah Price caught his 17th career touchdown pass on a 21-yard reception from Tyler O'Connor in the third quarter. Price is now seventh in MSU history with his 17 career touchdown receptions; he entered the season already ranked first in the MSU record book for most TD catches by a tight end.
In his first career start, senior wide receiver Monty Madaris established career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (85).
LJ Scott rushed for 105 yards on 20 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. It marked the second career 100-yard rushing game of Scott's career (career-high 146 yards vs. Purdue in 2015).
Sophomore Andrew Dowell, who made his first career start at linebacker, notched a career-high eight tackles and recorded his first career interception at the 11:49 mark in the fourth quarter. Following the interception, the Spartans went on a 12-play, 60-yard touchdown drive, capped by Tyler O'Connor's 12-yard pass to Jamal Lyles that put MSU on top, 28-13.
Junior Chris Frey, who also made his first career start at linebacker, led the Spartans with a career-high nine tackles.
Nine Spartans made their first career starts in a Green and White uniform on Friday (five on offense: WR Felton Davis; WR Monty Madaris; LT David Beedle; RT Miguel Machado; FB Prescott Line; four on defense: DT Kevin Williams; DE Evan Jones; LB Andrew Dowell; LB Chris Frey).
Felton Davis recorded his first career touchdown reception on a 13-yard catch in the second quarter.
Michigan State held Furman to 226 yards of total offense (87 rushing yards, 139 passing yards) . . . the Paladins were just 3-of-14 on third-down conversions . . . in the Mark Dantonio era, Michigan State has held its opponent below 100 yards rushing in 61 of 121 games played.
