KENT, Ohio — On a cold night with a mix of freezing rain and snow, the University of Toledo football team turned to smash mouth football because the conditions dictated it.
The Rockets ran early and often in a dominant 56-34 Mid-American Conference win Thursday against Kent State at Dix Stadium.
“It was a tough game,” Candle said. “It felt like a Turkey Bowl back home on Thanksgiving Day out in the backyard. It’s tough to handle when it gets wet like that. You have to establish the run and you have to handle the line of scrimmage. That’s just November football in Northwest and Northeast Ohio.”
Toledo (6-5, 4-3 MAC) handled the ball by handing it off to its running backs, as redshirt freshman Bryant Koback and junior Art Thompkins paced the potent ground game with 192 and 122 rushing yards, respectively, and each found the end zone twice.
All told, Toledo rushed 49 times for a season-high 384 yards, good for 7.8 yards per carry.
VIDEO: Toledo 56, Kent State 34
“It was just all the offensive linemen opening up some big holes, not just for me, but for all the backs,” Koback said. “It was a great, productive night. I thought we really won in the trenches, and that’s all we can really ask for in the backfield. You never really know what the weather is going to be like during the game. Tonight, we just seemed to run the ball a lot and it really paid off. “
While the run game was the story of the night, Toledo also got touchdowns from its defense and its special teams.
Diontae Johnson was driven back on a punt return three minutes before halftime and muffed the kick. He then gathered himself, picked the ball back up, and weaved his way through the Kent State defense on the way to an 83-yard touchdown.
“It was a good play by Diontae on the punt return,” Candle said. “It was a good individual effort, and there was some really good blocking on the second level of it down the field."
On the first offensive play of the second half for Kent State, Toledo senior linebacker Tyler Taafe read the eyes of quarterback Woody Barrett, stepped in front of a pass, and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.
“On the defensive touchdown, I about had a heart attack on the sideline,” Candle said. “We don’t get many of those.”
It was a long time coming for Taafe, as it was his first career interception in his 50th career game.
“It felt amazing,” Taafe said. “It didn’t feel real as I was running. It was the first play out of half and I was trying to get my legs going. They kept running hitches when they went empty, so when they went empty the first play out of the half, I kind of knew it was coming.”
Toledo quarterback Eli Peters was efficient with an 11-of-14 passing mark for 131 yards and two touchdowns. He found Reggie Gilliam for a 3-yard score early in the game and connected with Jon’Vea Johnson on a 55-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Jo-el Shaw rushed 16 times for 116 yards and a touchdown for Kent State. Barrett threw for 198 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for 36 yards and a score. Backup quarterback Dustin Crum threw for 116 yards and a late touchdown.
After Kent State scored on the opening drive, Toledo settled down and got its run game going right away.
“I think really good offensive line play to start the football game really got us into a good rhythm there,” Candle said. “I think that is a table-setter for everything. That sets up play-action opportunities. That sets up perimeter throws and screens that we are able to get out to our fast guys on the edge. When we are moving guys up front like that it makes things a lot easier.”
The win is the sixth of the season for Toledo, making them bowl eligible.
“It’s a credit to our team,” Candle said. “Not having the MAC championship be an option, our team and our seniors could have went one of two ways. Today was a good example of where we are going. We are continuing to play hard and continuing to fight for those guys. We are going to see if we can get them one more opportunity to play in the postseason and send them out the right way like they deserve.”
First Published November 16, 2018, 2:50 a.m.
