With the snow falling at Dix Stadium, the University of Toledo football team topped Kent State on Thursday night. Here are three observations from the game:
1) Ground game excels: From the beginning of the game, Toledo established the running game, rushing for 247 yards in the first half on 27 carries, led by redshirt freshman running back Bryant Koback’s 157-yard first-half performance. The Rockets finished the game with 384 rushing yards as a team. Koback averaged 11.3 yards per carry with 192 rushing yards.
2) Tyler Taafe gets defensive TD: Taafe, a senior linebacker, had played 50 games for Toledo without recording an interception. That changed on Thursday when Taafe corralled a Woody Barrett pass early in the third quarter and rumbled 20 yards for a touchdown. That gave Toledo a 42-17 edge at that point in the game.
3) Rockets get key special teams play: Diontae Johnson muffed a late first-half punt return only to gather it and weave his way 83 yards for a touchdown. The play came at a time when Toledo was clinging to a 21-17 lead and gave them back an 11-point cushion with three minutes left in the first half.
First Published November 16, 2018, 3:47 a.m.
