Liebe, Lust und Leben » e Spartans the ball back.OConnor threw a 1

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Tyler OConnors stats were fine, and Michigan State won.The night still could have been a lot better.OConnor threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns, and the 12th-ranked Spartans held off upset-minded Furman 28-13 on Friday. OConnor went 13 of 18 with an interception in his second career start, but Michigan State let the Paladins hang around for a while in the opener for both teams.I try to do things 100 percent right all the time, and I dont think I did that today, OConnor said. A wins a win, were OK with it, but we have a lot of things we have to fix up. We stopped ourselves more than they stopped us, we think.OConnor, a fifth-year senior, is taking over as Michigan States No. 1 quarterback after spending the past three seasons backing up Connor Cook.Michigan State was merely serviceable on offense for most of the night, and that was good enough against Furman. LJ Scott ran for 105 yards and a touchdown.Down 21-13, Furman took over at the Michigan State 44 with 11:49 remaining after OConnors pass was intercepted. But P.J. Blazejowskis pass was picked off on the very next play -- linebacker Andrew Dowell made a diving, one-handed grab to give the Spartans the ball back.OConnor threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Lyles with 4:55 remaining to make it 28-13.Were down by eight points and weve got the ball at midfield, Furman coach Bruce Fowler said. Thats a pretty good spot for us to be in against a Big Ten opponent. Well see if we build on it.The Spartans have won 18 home openers in a row.THE TAKEAWAYFurman: Blazejowski and Reese Hannon were listed together atop the depth chart at QB, but it was Blazejowski who got the call, with Fowler going with the junior over his fifth-year senior. Blazejowski went 15 of 30 for 123 yards with an interception, and the Paladins looked better offensively as the game progressed.P.J. did a good job. He got some experience but he was pretty good with the football, Fowler said. The guy made a heck of a play on the interception.Michigan State: The Spartans were underwhelming after scoring a touchdown on their opening drive. Michigan State split carries fairly evenly between LJ Scott, Madre London and Gerald Holmes last season, but on Friday it was Scott who did most of the work. London had only five carries and Holmes didnt have any.Michigan State had 10 penalties for 120 yards, which was part of the reason the Spartans had trouble putting the game away earlier.I think the key to anything is how you handle disappointment or how you handle some things that dont go right for you, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. Were not going to lose our mind over there. Were going to keep coaching and coach for the next play.CONNECTIONOConnors top target was fifth-year senior Monty Madaris, who caught five passes for 85 yards. Madaris had only seven catches in his career prior to this game.KEY NUMBERSFurman: The Paladins had 15 yards of offense in the first quarter and 211 after that. They finished with 18 first downs, only one fewer than Michigan State. Furman had the ball for 11:47 in the third quarter.Michigan State: The Spartans held Furman to field goals on two of its three trips to the red zone.POLL IMPLICATIONSMICHIGAN STATE : This wasnt a particularly stylish win for the Spartans, but a few teams above them have tough openers, so Michigan State could move in the ranking if theres any upheaval in the top 10.UP NEXTFurman: The Paladins can be pleased with their effort against the defending Big Ten champions. They play at The Citadel next weekend.Michigan State: The Spartans have an open date -- and a lot to work on -- before playing at Notre Dame on Sept. 17.Weve got two weeks to fix any problems we have and get ready for Notre Dame, Dantonio said. Im sure itll be quite the challenge down there.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister DJ Moore Panthers Jersey . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Jordan Scarlett Youth Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. http://www.shoppanthersonline.us/panthers-will-grier-blue-jersey/ . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Christian Miller Panthers Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Brian Burns Youth Jersey . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Joique Bell could be headed for one big weekend.Bell picks up his masters degree in sports administration at Wayne State University on Saturday. The next day, he could make his season debut with the Detroit Lions in his return after they cut him in February.Its funny that my first week back here is the same week that I graduate, he said Wednesday.Desperate for depth in its banged-up backfield, Detroit brought Bell back by signing him Tuesday.The NFC North-leading Lions (8-4) might need Bell to play against the last-place Chicago Bears (3-9) on Sunday at Ford Field, less than a mile from where he expects 30 to 40 family members and friends to attend his commencement.Detroits starting running back, Theo Riddick, didnt practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury and his backup, Dwayne Washington, was limited because of an ankle issue. Ameer Abdullah began the season as the teams No. 1 running back, but he has been out with a foot injury since Week 2. That leaves Bell and Zach Zenner as the Lions only healthy running backs on the roster.Even though Bell is joining the team so late in the year, he did play for offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter last season in a similar offense.Its coming back to me and the more I look at stuff and Im like, `Oh, OK. I remember that, Bell said. When I go out there, Ill be able to play comfortably and I wont have to think as much.Bell insisted he wasnt surprised when the Lions new general manager, Bob Quinn, released him less than a year after he signed a two-year deal with former GM Martin Mayhew. In fact, Bell said he kept in touch with Quinn before and after Chicago signed him earlier this season. He had three carries for 6 yards on Oct. 2, when the Bears beat the Lions, and didnt run the ball once over the next three gamess before being cut.dddddddddddd.When I left the Bears, I texted (Quinn) back and said, `Bring me home, Bell recalled. He sent me a text the other day and said, `Do you want to come home? I said, `Yeah. My heart has never left here. My family is here. I played most of his career and built my foundation here.Bell, who is from Benton Harbor, Michigan, won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 2009 at Wayne State, but that wasnt enough to get him drafted.After playing sparingly for Indianapolis and Philadelphia, he did enough well as a runner and receiver with the Lions to sign a $9.3 million, three-year contract in 2014.We certainly know what his traits are, Detroit coach Jim Caldwell said. Hes always been a very, very positive guy. A very, very good locker-room guy. Lot of energy. Loves to play the game. And hes a good, tough runner as well. Hes alright with the ball in his hands throwing it to him, also. There a number of different things that he can do.And soon, Bell will add another accomplishment to his resume when he walks across a stage in front of a crowd he is proud to say will include his 11-year-old son, Jordan.I always preach to the kids that Im trying to mentor, or kids that come to my camp, how important education is, he said. I dont want to tell them to do something that I havent done. So for me to come back to my alma mater and to finish my masters degree there and to be able to have my son there, thats probably one of the greatest experiences Ill ever have as a father.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Larry Lage at http://www.twitter.com/larrylage ' ' '