TOLEDO 45, UTEP 13
12/21/2005 12:00:00 PM | Football
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Toledo vs. UTEP
2005 GMAC Bowl
Dec. 21, 2005
Ladd-Peebles Stadium
With tonight's win, Toledo improves to 8-2 (.800) all-time in bowl games, including 2-2 (.500) under Head Coach .
Toledo finishes the 2005 season 9-3 and has won at-least nine games in five of the last six years.
Toledo scored the second-most points in school history in a bowl game. The Rockets registered a school-best 56 points in their first ever bowl game vs. Davidson in the 1969 Tangerine Bowl.
Toledo's defense limited the Miners to 255 yards of total offense, including only 35 in the second half. The Rockets tallied seven tackles for loss in the contest, including three sacks. UTEP entered the game second in C-USA and 19th nationally averaging 428.0 yards per game.
The Rockets' defense surrendered 13 points which marked the fifth time this season they allowed less than 15 points or lessin a contest.
Senior QB was named the game's Most Valuable Player, as he completed 18-of-30 for 298 yards and five touchdowns. Gradkowski's five touchdown passes ties the GMAC Bowl record for TD passes in a game. (BGSU's Omar Jacob tossed five TD's against Memphis, 2004). He completed passes to nine different passes.
Gradkowski finished the season 207-of-332 (.623) for 2,469 yards with 29 touchdown passes. His TD passes ties his own school record set back in 2003.
UT's three tight ends (, , ) caught just five passes for 65 yards, but three went for touchdowns.
Senior RB was named the game's Offensive MVP. He topped the century mark for the seventh time this season and the 15th of his career and finished with 124 yards on 24 carries. Dawson has gained over 100 yards in seven of the last eight games. Dawson finishes the season with 1,294 yards rushing, the fifth-most in a single season, and 3,474 for his career, third-most in school history.
Junior was named the game's Defensive MVP, as he recorded a team-high three sacks and finished the season with a team-best 9.5. All three sacks occurred in the first half and tied him for fourth in school history for sacks in a single game. Also, his total is the eighth most in school annals in a single season.
Junior WR hauled in a team-best five catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. In the last two games, Odom totaled 15 receptions for 243 yards and two scores. With one year left, Odom is second in school history in receiving yards (2,203), tied for fourth in TD receptions (17) and fifth in catches (170).
Odom also finished with 116 punt and kickoff return yards and was selected the Special Teams MVP.
Sophomore WR made his third start of the season and finished with two catches for 38 yards, including his first career touchdown, which covered 34 yards. Washington also drew starts vs. Ohio and Bowling Green.
Redshirt freshman WR returned to the lineup and hauled in four passes for 84 yards. Moore missed UT's regular-season finale at Bowling Green with an injury.
Senior ILB picked off his first career pass and returned it 38 yards for his first career touchdown. Thomas finished with six tackles and two pass breakups. The defensive score was UT's fifth this season.
Senior PK booted a 29-yard field goal in the third quarter and finished the season with a school record 13-of-13 on FG attempts.
Toledo was a perfect 3of-3 on fourth down, including a 38-yard TD reception, and finished the season 13-of-27 (.482).
Toledo held a 7-3 edge at the end of the first quarter and outscored its opponents, 119-45, in the opening 15 minutes for the season.
The Rockets appeared on national TV five times this season and compiled a 3-2 mark in those contests. The five appearances are the second most in school history and trail only seven appearances last year.
