TUCSON, Ariz. – Toledo led for much of the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, but fell to Wyoming by a score of 16-15 on a 24-yard field goal as time expired at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. on Saturday.
The Rockets led 15-6 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys scored 10 unanswered points in the final frame to pull ahead for the win. A 12-play, 87-yard drive ended when Wyoming's John Hoyland knocked the game-winning field goal through the uprights on the game's final play.
"A hard-fought football game," said Head Coach Jason Candle. "Hats off to Wyoming and . . .
Junior running back Jacquez Stuart led the Rockets offensively, tallying 99 yards on nine carries, including an electric 80-yard touchdown run. He totaled 208 all-purpose yards, 105 of which came on kickoff returns.
Sophomore quarterback Tucker Gleason made his first start of the season and threw for 184 yards, completing 14-of-34 passes. His favorite target was junior wide receiver Jerjuan Newton, who caught five passes for 74 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Junior Vandeross III caught three passes for 53 yards.
Defensively, senior safety Nate Bauer posted a team-best 10 tackles and added a tackle for loss and one pass breakup. The Rockets had a season-high eight tackles for loss and collected three sacks. Sophomore defensive tackle Esean Carter, junior defensive tackle Darius Alexander, and junior linebacker Deshawn Holt were credited with Toledo's sacks. Carter's sack resulted in a safety.
Toledo finishes the 2023 season with an 11-3 record.
Wyoming opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal by John Hoyland following a 13-play, 77-yard drive.
Toledo had a touchdown negated when center Devan Rogers caught a deflected ball and rambled 29 yards for the score. The play was called back, however, due to illegal touching by an ineligible receiver.
Second Quarter
Wyoming made it 6-0 when Hoyland hit a 52-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and bounced over.
Toledo cut the lead to 6-3 on a 33-yard field goal by Luke Pawlak at the 8:36 mark.
Jacquez Stuart took it 80 yards to the house to give Toledo a 10-6 lead with 5:19 to play in the half.
Third Quarter
Toledo extended its lead to 12-6 when Esean Carter came up with a sack in the end zone for a safety.
On the ensuing kickoff following the safety, Stuart returned it 35 yards to the 50-yard line, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Pawlak that made it 15-6 Toledo with 2:04 to play in the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Wyoming's first touchdown of the game was a one-yard rushing score by backup QB Evan Svoboda with 8:37 to play. It put the Cowboys within two, 15-13.
Toledo got the ball twice in the fourth quarter, but couldn't find the scoreboard on either drive.
The Cowboys took over on their own 6-yard line with 4:11 to play and proceeded to march 87 yards down the field to set up the game-winning 24-yard field goal as the clock expired.
-- Toledo now has a 12-9 all-time record in bowl games.
-- Jacquez Stuart rushed for 99 yards and one TD on nine carries. He had 105 yards in kickoff returns and totaled 208 all-purpose yards.
-- Stuart's 80-yard touchdown run was the longest of his career. His previous long was 48 yards vs. Ohio in the 2022 MAC Championship Game.
-- Sophomore quarterback Tucker Gleason started his first game of the season (third of his career), completing 14-of-34 passes for 184 yards. He also rushed for 42 yards on seven carries.
-- Esean Carter's sack in the end zone gave Toledo its first safety in 13 years. Toledo's last safety was vs. Northern Illinois on Nov. 9, 2010 by Alex Johnson in a 65-30 loss.
-- Junior Luke Pawlak connected on a pair of 33-yard field goal, giving him 12 for the season.
-- The Rockets had 3.0 sacks and a season-high 8.0 tackles for loss. Their previous single-game high for TFLs was 7.0, which they achieved on four occasions.
-- Junior Ronald Delancy started his first game of the season, making six tackles and breaking up two passes.
-- Senior Nate Bauer led UT with 10 tackles, his second double-digit tackle effort of the season.
-- Freshman Emilio Duran punted five times and landed four inside the 20-yard line. He pinned the Cowboys on their own 6-yard line three times.