Oct 20, 2001

Final Stats| Quotes

By HANK LOWENKRON
AP Sports Writer

MUNCIE, Ind. - Tavares Bolden ran for one score and caught his first career touchdown pass on a halfback option from Chester Taylor, but it wasn't enough as Ball State upset No. 23 Toledo, 24-20, on Saturday to snap the Rockets' 12-game winning streak.

Toledo took a 20-17 lead on a 18-yard field goal by Todd France with 3:26 to play, but Ball State's Corey Parchman returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for the winning score. Toledo then drove the ball to the Cardinal 15-yard line with 1:15 left, but three consecutive holding penalties pushedthe ball back to the 45. Bolden was then intercepted by BSU's Quentin Manley to clinch the victory for the Cardinals.

It was the second time that Ball State upset an undefeated Toledo team when it was nationally ranked. In 1997, Toledo was 18-0 and ranked No. 18 when it lost to Ball State 35-3.

Toledo (5-1, 2-1 Mid-American) trailed much of the game against Ball State (2-4, 2-0). The Cardinals led at halftime, 14-10, and extended their lead to 17-10 with 12:51 to play on a 25-yard field goal by Mike Langford. Toledo then gambled twice and made it pay off to tie the game at 17 with 9:27 to play.

The first gamble came when Sid Daniels raced 32 yards after Toledo lined up in punt formation. On the next play, Taylor threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bolden and France's extra point knotted the score.

Toledo lost despite intercepting Talmadge Hill three times.

Langford kicked field goals of 38 and 34 yards and Tommy Schembra blocked a punt to set up a touchdown as Ball State built a 14-7 lead in the first half.

Schembra's block of Brandon Hannum's punt gave Ball State the ball at Toledo's 18. A pass-interference penalty in the end zone against cornerback Brad Hefflin moved the ball to the 3 and Marcus Merriweather powered into the end zone with a second effort after being hit at the 2. Hill then connected with Bill Lynch for a 2-point conversion.

The game featured the conference's top two rushers and both found the going tough. Merriweather, who was averaging 128.5 yards per game, had just 39 yards on 19 carries. Taylor, averaging 6 yards per carry with 3,860 career yards in four seasons, netted just 25 yards on 18 carries.

After a scoreless first period, Langford's 38-yarder gave the Cardinals an early lead. Toledo responded by moving 62 yards in 10 plays following the kickoff. The big play of the drive was a short pass by Bolden to Antwon McCray, which gained 18 yards and moved the ball to the Ball State 20. After advancing to the 5, Bolden faked a pass to Taylor and then raced up the middle untouched.

Toledo started quickly, moving from its 16 to Ball State's 40 after converting for 18 yards on a third-and-11 play from Bolden to Donta Greene. Taylor gained 4 yards on first down, but the Rockets were forced to punt after being set back by a delay penalty, a 1-yard loss on a shuttle pass and two incomplete passes.