Despite trailing . . .
Bradley's clutch TD toss with 1:31 to go put his team up by one, and junior defensive end Terrance Taylor stopped the Chippewas' final drive with a strip sack. Junior running back Bryant Koback ran for a first down on third-and-17 to clinch the victory.
"Really happy for our football team and the way they were able to persevere down the stretch," Toledo head coach Jason Candle said. "I'm really proud of our guys. I'm happy to get a win today against a good football team on a windy day. Our guys really answered the bell today, even if it wasn't pretty at times."
Toledo (4-2, 4-2 MAC) was able to overcome a Central Michigan (3-3, 3-3 MAC) defense that forced four UT turnovers and recorded six sacks on the afternoon. The victory clinched a share of second place in the MAC West Division with Western Michigan.
Bradley completed 18-of-33 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. Koback added 123 yards on the ground for the seventh 100-yard performance of his career and second of the season. He also led the team with five receptions for 44 yards and a TD, while Newton and junior wide receiver Isaiah Winstead both caught touchdowns as well.
FIRST HALF
Central Michigan opened the contest with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kobe Lewis to Kalil Pimpleton. Lewis lined up in the wildcat and faked a run before fading back and hitting Pimpleton in the end zone.
Toledo tied it up on a 15-yard TD reception by Bryant Koback from Carter Bradley that capped a 45-yard drive. Later in the quarter, Thomas Cluckey converted a 24-yard field goal to give Toledo a 10-7 lead.
CMU tied the contest at 10-10 on a 23-yard field goal by Marshall Meeder early in the quarter, and the score remained deadlocked until Bradley hit Isaiah Winstead for a 13-yard TD completion with 27 seconds left in the half. Toledo took a 13-10 lead into the locker room.
SECOND HALF
The Chippewas tied the score on their first play from scrimmage in the second half
when Lew Nichols broke loose on a 68-yard TD run. Later in the quarter, CMU took a 20-17 lead on a career-long, wind-aided 53-yard field goal by Meeder. Following an interception, Meeder connected again, this time from 47 yards to push the CMU lead to 23-17.
Defenses prevailed through much of the fourth quarter, but starting at 6:27 Toledo's offense got untracked for an 11-play, 83-yard drive. Facing a third-and-22, Bradley perfectly placed a 28-yard TD pass into the hands of Jerjuan Newton. Thomas Cluckey's PAT boot provided the winning point with 1:33 remaining.
On the ensuing CMU drive, Terrance Taylor's strip sack of quarterback Ty Brock gave Toledo the ball back with just over a minute to play. The Rockets were able to run out the final 71 seconds to put away the Chippewas. Bryant Koback sealed the win with a 27-yard run on third-and-17 in the waning seconds.
(UT Athletics/MRO)