UT offense rolls up 622 yards, 48 points
By EVAN MEYER
AKRON, OHIO – Senior quarterback Logan Woodside passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns as the Toledo Rockets scored on eight of nine possessions -- with five straight being touchdowns – as they turned a close game into a 48-17 rout of the Akron Zips Wednesday night at InfoCision Stadium.
With the victory, Toledo (7-2, 4-1 MAC) stayed on the heels of the Western Michigan Broncos in the Mid-American Conference Western Division following WMU’s win Tuesday night at Ball State.
“It was 60 minutes of . . .
AKRON, OHIO – Senior quarterback Logan Woodside passed for 327 yards and three touchdowns as the Toledo Rockets scored on eight of nine possessions -- with five straight being touchdowns – as they turned a close game into a 48-17 rout of the Akron Zips Wednesday night at InfoCision Stadium.
With the victory, Toledo (7-2, 4-1 MAC) stayed on the heels of the Western Michigan Broncos in the Mid-American Conference Western Division following WMU’s win Tuesday night at Ball State.
“It was 60 minutes of . . .
. . . football, and they responded really well.” Rockets head coach Jason Candle said. “We are striving to still play a complete football game, but I think tonight is the closest we’ve been to that so far. “Our team played a great game tonight.”
As for Akron (5-5, 3-3) the Zips suffered their second consecutive defeat and third in the last four games.
As for Akron (5-5, 3-3) the Zips suffered their second consecutive defeat and third in the last four games.
I feel bad for our players.” UA head man Terry Bowden said. “We’re struggling to find ourselves, offensively and defensively. We had a couple of disappointing weeks and that one just got away from us like we knew it could.”
Akron actually got off to about as good a start as a team can have as the Zips scored on their first place from scrimmage. Junior quarterback Thomas Woodson found WR Jerome Lane all alone in the middle of the UT zone defense. The result was a 91-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
Woodson completed 17-of-33 passes for 316 yards and two scores, while Lane owned six receptions for a total of 177 yards.
After the Rockets got on the scoreboard with a 21-yard field goal from Jameson Vest, UA matched with a Tom O’ Leary three -pointer from the same distance.
On the first play of the second quarter, Toledo’s offense revved into high gear and started cranking out touchdowns. The first came on a nine-yard run by Terry Swanson that capped an 81-yard 11-play drive and knotted the score at 10-all.
Toledo took the lead for good late in the period when Vest hit his second field goal, another short distance shot of 23 yards to make it 13-10.
With under a minute left in the first half, Toledo seized momentum with one more big score.
Taking over at their own 49-yard line after a punt, the Rockets needed just six plays to score a touchdown. Woodside found TE Michael Roberts in the lower left corner of the end zone as he outreached two UA defenders for the ball and a 20-10 lead at intermission.
From that point on, momentum remained with the Midnight Blue and Gold.
Standout running back Kareem Hunt provided the second half’s first score, taking the ball around the right side for a two-yard TD. On the evening, Hunt, a Northeast Ohio native, carried the ball 17 times for 136 yards and the one TD.
UA tried to keep pace and closed to within 27-17 midway through the period as Woodson put together an eight-play, 75-yard drive.
Woodson connected with fifth-year senior JoJoNatson from 27 yards away to complete the journey. Natson finished the night with just three catches for 44 yards and the score.
UT’s offense, however, was on a roll and the Rockets managed to dent the UA end zone three more times.
The first came late in the third when Swanson scored his second touchdown, this from 10 yards away.
Then in the fourth quarter, Woodside, on his final possession of the game, hit senior WR Zach Yousey over the middle for 44 yards and the score. Coming into the game, Woodside led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 31 touchdown passes
UT closed the scoring late in the fourth as its second team offense, led by junior QB Michael Julian, posted a touchdown by redshirt freshman RB Art Thompkins ,who scored from 10 yards out.
The Rockets amassed a season high 622 yards of offense and its 48 points were their most in a MAC game so far this season. Toledo scoring drives averaged 74 yards, with their longest being 89 yards – a trip that ended in just a field goal.
Over the 60 minutes of play, there were a total of 1,066 total yards of offense as the Zips managed 444 of their own.
Both teams now get some much needed rest after playing three games within a span of 12 days. Toledo’s next in action is at home against Northern Illinois Nov. 9. Akron hosts Bowling Green on the same day.
Akron actually got off to about as good a start as a team can have as the Zips scored on their first place from scrimmage. Junior quarterback Thomas Woodson found WR Jerome Lane all alone in the middle of the UT zone defense. The result was a 91-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
Woodson completed 17-of-33 passes for 316 yards and two scores, while Lane owned six receptions for a total of 177 yards.
After the Rockets got on the scoreboard with a 21-yard field goal from Jameson Vest, UA matched with a Tom O’ Leary three -pointer from the same distance.
On the first play of the second quarter, Toledo’s offense revved into high gear and started cranking out touchdowns. The first came on a nine-yard run by Terry Swanson that capped an 81-yard 11-play drive and knotted the score at 10-all.
Toledo took the lead for good late in the period when Vest hit his second field goal, another short distance shot of 23 yards to make it 13-10.
With under a minute left in the first half, Toledo seized momentum with one more big score.
Taking over at their own 49-yard line after a punt, the Rockets needed just six plays to score a touchdown. Woodside found TE Michael Roberts in the lower left corner of the end zone as he outreached two UA defenders for the ball and a 20-10 lead at intermission.
From that point on, momentum remained with the Midnight Blue and Gold.
Standout running back Kareem Hunt provided the second half’s first score, taking the ball around the right side for a two-yard TD. On the evening, Hunt, a Northeast Ohio native, carried the ball 17 times for 136 yards and the one TD.
UA tried to keep pace and closed to within 27-17 midway through the period as Woodson put together an eight-play, 75-yard drive.
Woodson connected with fifth-year senior JoJoNatson from 27 yards away to complete the journey. Natson finished the night with just three catches for 44 yards and the score.
UT’s offense, however, was on a roll and the Rockets managed to dent the UA end zone three more times.
The first came late in the third when Swanson scored his second touchdown, this from 10 yards away.
Then in the fourth quarter, Woodside, on his final possession of the game, hit senior WR Zach Yousey over the middle for 44 yards and the score. Coming into the game, Woodside led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 31 touchdown passes
UT closed the scoring late in the fourth as its second team offense, led by junior QB Michael Julian, posted a touchdown by redshirt freshman RB Art Thompkins ,who scored from 10 yards out.
The Rockets amassed a season high 622 yards of offense and its 48 points were their most in a MAC game so far this season. Toledo scoring drives averaged 74 yards, with their longest being 89 yards – a trip that ended in just a field goal.
Over the 60 minutes of play, there were a total of 1,066 total yards of offense as the Zips managed 444 of their own.
Both teams now get some much needed rest after playing three games within a span of 12 days. Toledo’s next in action is at home against Northern Illinois Nov. 9. Akron hosts Bowling Green on the same day.
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