Nov. 4, 2000

Box Score| Quotes| Notes

DEKALB, Ill. - Senior tailback Chester Taylor rushed for a career-high 230 yards and two touchdowns to lead Toledo to a 38-24 victory over Northern Illinois in DeKalb, IL on Saturday. It was Toledo's (8-1, 3-1 MAC West) fifth straight win,

While Taylor was grinding out yardage on the ground, junior quarterback Tavares Bolden methodically picked apart the Huskie defense. Bolden completed 21-of-26 passes and threw for a season-high 226 yards and two touchdowns. Toledo had a season-high 561 yards of total offense, 335 on the ground.

Taylor's biggest play of the game was a 73-yard touchdown run with 1:01 to play in the first half that gave Toledo a 28-24 lead. From there, the Rocket defense shut out an NIU offense that had gained 259 yards of total offense in the first half.

Toledo scored on long drives on its first three possessions and bolted out to a 21-7 lead. Bolden opened the scoring with a five-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg Grothous, Taylor had a one-yard score and Bolden took it in from two yards.

But Northern answered with two touchdowns and a 23-yard field by Steve Azar to take a 24-21 lead that held up for exactly one play. On Toledo's first play on its ensuing possesion, Taylor burst free on the left side for a 73-yard score,the longest run of his career.

Toledo's defense took over in the second half, holding NIU to just 99 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes. The biggest defensive play belonged to freshman Brandon Hefflin, who intercepted a Chris Finlen pass in the end zone midway through the third quarter with the Rockets holding a 28-24 lead.

After the teams exchanged punts, Bolden engineered a 98-yard Toledo drive that culminated in an 11-yard TD pass to Mel Long early in the fourth quarter. Todd France finished the Rocket scoring with a season-high 45-yard field goal with 7:21 to play.

Toledo finishes its regular season with two home games, next week against Ball State and a Wednesday night game on ESPN2 vs. Bowling Green on Nov. 22.