Michigan State's visit to Minnesota on Saturday had all the makings of a trap game for the Spartans a week after taking down then-No. 7 and archrival Michigan on the road.

For three quarters, the Spartans appeared to have avoided that fate.

Junior running back LJ Scott rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, but No. 21 Michigan State held on for dear life to squeak out a 30-27 win over Minnesota.

The Spartans built a 23-6 lead after three quarters, but Gophers quarterback Demry Croft came off the bench to throw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to wide receiver Tyler Johnson to make things interesting.

"I thought we had the game in place right where we needed to be in the fourth quarter, then Minnesota does a great job of coming back," Michigan State coach Mike Dantonio said. "I thought our defense played very well until the end, and then all of a sudden we couldn't stop (Tyler Johnson) and we couldn't stop the quarterback scrambles."

In a little more than one half, Croft completed 11 of 20 passes for 163 yards in addition to the three touchdowns. In addition, Croft rushed seven times for 43 yards.

"They are a phenomenal football team and they are a ranked opponent," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. "It was really a tale of two halves on both sides of the ball."

Leading 17-6 at the half, the Spartans extended the lead to 23-6 heading into the fourth quarter on two Matt Coghlin field goals.

Minnesota closed the gap to 10 when Scott fumbled at the Michigan State 27 with 12:45 left and Croft hit Johnson for a 28-yard touchdown two plays later.

The Spartans responded immediately, however, when Connor Heyward received the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and returned it 55 yards to the Minnesota 45-yard line. Just four plays later, Scott carried in from 6 yards for his second touchdown of the game to restore Michigan State's 17-point cushion.

Scott, who sat out last the win over Michigan with an injury, became Michigan State's first 100-yard rusher of the season and the 18th Spartans running back to eclipse 2,000 career yards.

"It was great getting back out there with the guys after missing last week," Scott said. "I have to give credit to the (offensive) line for creating holes and making things happen out front."

Croft wasn't done, though, connecting with Johnson from 17 yards with 4:55 to play and again from 9 yards, capping a 10-play, 73-yard drive to pull the Gophers within a field goal with 1:06 to play.

Croft replaced starting quarterback Conor Rhoda with 6:38 to go in the first half. After sharing duties with Rhoda early in the season, Croft was suspended for three weeks for undisclosed reasons. He saw his first game action since his suspension was lifted earlier this month.

"He showed me resiliency," Fleck said. "I think he has come a long way. Failing is growth."

The Spartans were in a giving mood early, but the Gophers mostly squandered Michigan State's generous gift.

After the Gophers held the Spartans on their first possession, punter Jake Hartbarger's fumbled snap and the ensuing scramble for the ball resulted in a Minnesota first down at the Spartans' 3-yard line.

The struggling Gophers' offense, however, failed to capitalize, losing 4 yards and settling for an Emmit Carpenter 25-yard field goal.

Michigan State tied it on Coghlin's 42-yard field goal and added to its lead two plays later when Minnesota turned the ball over deep in its own territory. On second-and-10 from the 15-yard line, Shannon Brooks fumbled and Michigan State recovered at the 8-yard line.

Two plays later, running back Madre London's 3-yard touchdown and a Coghlin extra point gave the Spartans a 10-3 lead with 6:25 to go in the first quarter.

The Gophers trimmed the lead on the Spartans' next possession when safety Duke McGhee intercepted Brian Lewerke's pass at the Michigan State 34-yard line. Once again, though, Minnesota was limited to a 47-yard Carpenter field goal with 2:34 remaining.

Scott's 24-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter capped six-play, 62-yard drive in 3:24 to lift the Spartans to a 17-6 lead at the half.

NOTES: Former Spartan Pat Shurmur served as honorary captai. Shurmur, a four-year letter-winner (83, 85-87) at Michigan State, is currently the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. ... Minnesota was without starting S Antoine Winfield Jr. for a second straight week because of a hamstring injury suffered in the Sept. 30 loss to Maryland. ... Michigan State starting RG David Beedle missed his third straight game and was replaced by freshman Kevin Jarvis.