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Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason fumbles the ball against Ohio University at the Glass Bowl on Wednesday.
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Turnovers, ineffective offense doom Toledo in 24-7 loss to Ohio

BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR

Turnovers, ineffective offense doom Toledo in 24-7 loss to Ohio

On a gloomy night at the Glass Bowl, the University of Toledo got a gloomy result: a dreary, dismal 24-7 loss to Ohio, knocking the Rockets out of the Mid-American Conference championship race.

UT was doomed by turnovers on back-to-back third-quarter possessions and an offense that went into hibernation, as the Rockets finished with 212 total yards, a paltry 39 rushing yards, and nine first downs. Toledo barely averaged one yard per carry and turned the ball over three times.

“Very disappointing outcome,” Rockets coach Jason Candle said. “[Bad] 15-minute stretch in the second half. Really inefficient offensively. Turned the ball over.”

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The first half was a defensive masterclass, as Toledo and Ohio combined for 215 yards, 11 first downs, and seven points. Neither team crossed midfield until the second quarter, and the closest the Bobcats got to the end zone was the UT 45-yard line.

Ohio’s Parker Navarro is wrapped up for a loss by Toledo’s Jackson Barrow at Glass Bowl Stadium on Wednesday.
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Game replay: Ohio 24, Toledo 7 — Final

The Rockets had two plays of more than 10 yards, one of which was a 23-yard touchdown pass by Tucker Gleason to tight end Anthony Torres. Ohio only had one play for more than 10 yards. (Gleason was injured in the fourth quarter.)

NUMBERS GAME

7: Fumbles for Toledo against Ohio. The Rockets turned the ball over on three of those fumbles. Ohio did not have any fumbles and just one turnover, an interception.

39: Net rushing yards for Toledo. Ohio, meanwhile, racked up 238 yards.

17-9: Advantage in first downs for Ohio over Toledo. The Bobcats had 11 rushing first downs to the Rockets’ three, and Ohio picked up three first downs via penalty to none for Toledo.

The biggest sequence of the game came in the third quarter, a textbook MACtion chain of events. Trailing 7-0, Ohio reached the Toledo 5 after a 34-yard pass. But on the next play Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro threw into a group of five UT players and was intercepted by safety Maxen Hook, a senior playing in his final game at the Glass Bowl.

The Rockets frittered away momentum, however, as Eric Holley III fumbled during a 40-yard pass play on the very next snap. Navarro and the Bobcats did not waste the opportunity, advancing 45 on seven plays — all runs.

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On the third play of the ensuing series, Junior Vandeross III fumbled on a run play in the backfield. Ohio again marched down the field to take a 14-7 lead, although it didn’t come without controversy. The Rockets appeared to cause a fumble inside the 10-yard line, but the officials ruled that Ohio running back Anthony Tyus III’s forward progress had been stopped.

Remarkably, Toledo has been on the wrong end of that ruling multiple times this season.

“It was explained to me that they’re not going to give anybody a cheap turnover,” Candle said.

“Whatever that means.”

Sam Yonker, with Sigma Phi Epsilon, is dunked into a water tank after the sole touchdown by Toledo.
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Photo Gallery: Toledo vs. Ohio football

Ohio entered the night with one of the top offenses in the MAC, ranking first in conference games in rushing (215.8 rushing yards per game), second in total offense (414.0 yards), and fourth in scoring (33.3 points). At the half, it didn’t look like Ohio could even approach any of those numbers.

Then the Bobcats came out of the locker room after halftime. In the third quarter, they outgained Toledo 169-64. And they outscored the Rockets 24-0 in the second half.

Ohio finished with 238 rushing yards and 367 total yards. The Bobcats had three rushing plays of 20-plus yards.

“They settled in a little bit more,” Toledo linebacker Dan Bolden said. “They made their adjustments and they were able to scheme us up a little bit in the second half. We had to be more gap-disciplined on defense and shut down that run.”

Tyus rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown, with 103 yards coming in the final 25 minutes. Navarro had 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including a run of 45 yards.

Ohio converted three fourth-down attempts, including one on fourth-and-goal from the 2, and possessed the ball for more than 41 minutes.

“They made some plays, kept us out there a little bit longer,” Bolden said “There’s no excuse for us getting tired.”

UT’s average yards to gain on third down was 8.2 yards. It finished 4 for 12 on third down.

The Rockets had 78 yards and three first downs in the second half. They crossed midfield once and only reached the Ohio 47-yard line. Their six possessions ended punt, fumble, fumble, punt, turnover on downs, and fumble, extinguishing UT’s MAC title hopes.

“At the end of the day, just because you’re up at halftime doesn’t mean the game is over,” senior wide receiver Jerjuan Newton said. “We had a couple guys who stayed in there and kept fighting. And we had a couple guys who didn’t. As a team, we’ve got to understand that no matter what happens, even if they did score a touchdown, that we’ve got to keep fighting and keep pushing.”

First Published November 21, 2024, 3:35 a.m.

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Toledo quarterback Tucker Gleason fumbles the ball against Ohio University at the Glass Bowl on Wednesday.  (BLADE/JONATHAN AGUILAR)
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