TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo came up on the short end of a 41-26 decision to Bowling Green in the annual Battle of I-75 at the Glass Bowl on Saturday.
The Rockets (5-3, 2-2 MAC) and Falcons (4-4, 3-1 MAC) were locked in a back-and-forth battle throughout most of the game but Bowling Green scored the final 13 points to put the game away.
Toledo trailed early but cut the lead to 21-17 and was driving late in the first half when Jordan Oladokun picked off a sideline pass and bolted 61 yards for a touchdown to increase the Falcon lead to 28-17. A Rocket field goal at the end of the half cut the halftime margin to 28-20.
On UT’s first possession of the third quarter, Tucker Gleason connected with Jerjuan Newton on a 64-yard touchdown strike to pull Toledo within 28-26 with 8:42 left in the third. However, the Rockets would be held scoreless the rest of the way. Bowling Green responded with a field goal to end the quarter up 31-26. The Falcons then scored all 10 points in the fourth on a field goal and a touchdown to close the scoring.
“We have really good leadership on our team and in the locker room,” said head coach Jason Candle. “Those guys have a lot of pride and I know the fabric that makes up this locker room. This is a tough football game that you drop in the middle of the year, but there is a ton of football left to be played. Each and every week in this league, you have to be at your best. As tough as it may be, you have to flush this one out and get back out to the practice field and prepare for next week.”
Senior wide receiver Jerjuan Newton had a career day, establishing career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (164). His two touchdown receptions gives him 31 for his career, breaking the Toledo record of 30 set by Cody Thompson (2014-18). Junior Vandeross also set his career high with 11 receptions. Junior quarterback Tucker Gleason was 30-of-45 for 320 yards and two scores, setting his career marks for completions and attempts. The defense was led by senior linebacker Dan Bolden and senior safety Maxen Hook with 10 tackles apiece.
The Rockets finished with a 422-402 edge in total offense and a 320-187 edge in the air, but Bowling Green countered with a 215-102 rushing yards advantage and turned in two rushing scores.
First Quarter
- Bowling Green took advantage of a short field, driving 45 yards in five plays on its first possession to take an early 7-0 lead.
- Toledo tied it up 7-7 moments later on a four-yard TD pass from Tucker Gleason to Jerjuan Newton. A 34-yard reception by Newton on the drive set up the score.
- BG took a 14-7 lead on a five-yard shovel pass from Connor Bazelak to Harold Fannin with 2:40 left in the quarter.
Second Quarter
- Toledo cut the lead to 14-10 on a 54-yard field goal by Dylan Cunanan, the second-longest field goal in Toledo history.
- The Falcons increased their lead to 21-10 on a two-yard TD pass from Bazelak to Levi Gazarek, capping a nine-play, 79 yard drive.
- Toledo trimmed the lead to 21-17 with 2:58 left in the half on a 12-yard rush by Gleason, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive.
- After Toledo forced a BG punt, Jordan Oladokun picked off a sideline pass and bolted 61 yards for a touchdown to increase the Falcon lead to 28-17.
- Toledo took advantage of a 44-yard kickoff return by Jacquez Stuart to set up a 27-yard field goal by Cunanan on the final play of the half, reducing the BGSU advantage to 28-20 at the break.
Third Quarter
- Toledo forced the Falcons to punt on their first possession, then moved 93 yards in five plays to cut the lead to 28-26. Gleason connected to Newton, who broke a tackle and went 64 yards for the score. The two-point conversion attempt by Gleason was incomplete.
- Bowling Green tacked on three more points on a 47-yard field goal by Zach Long to give the Falcons a 31-26 edge with 5:33 left in the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter
- BGSU tacked on a 35-yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter to increase its lead to 34-26.
- Two offensive possessions later, the Falcons drove 60 yards on five plays, capped by a 19-yard touchdown run by Rahkeem Smith to go up 41-26.
Up Next
The Rockets travel to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 2. Kickoff is set for noon on ESPNU.
Toledo Post-Game Notes
- Attendance for the game was 29,697, the 14th-largest home crowd in school history and the most since 2016 (30,147 vs. BGSU).
- Junior quarterback Tucker Gleason returned to the lineup after missing one game due to injury, completing 30-of-45 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns, setting his career marks for completions and attempts. His 320 yards was nine short of his all-time high. Gleason also rushed for 26 yards on six carries and a rushing score.
- Jerjuan Newton’s two TD receptions gives him 31 for his career, breaking Cody Thompson’s (2014-18) Toledo career mark of 30.
- Newton also set his career high for receptions (9) and receiving yards (164).
- Newton’s 64-yard TD reception in the third quarter was the longest of his career.
- Wide receiver Junior Vandeross set his career high with 11 receptions, a game-high. He also finished with 106 receiving yards, eclipsing the century mark for the second time this year.
- Dylan Cunanan’s 54-yard field goal in the second quarter is the second-longest in Toledo history. The record is 55 set by Todd France vs. Western Michigan in 2001.
- Toledo was led defensively by Daniel Bolden and Maxen Hook with 10 tackles, with Hook reaching double-digit stops for the fourth time this year.