Toledo at Eastern Michigan
Sept. 13, 2008
Ypsilanti, MI (Rynearson Stadium)
Toledo finished today's game with a season-high 41 points. It marked the 31st-time in Head Coach Tom Amstutz's tenure (89 career games) that the Rockets have scored at-least 40 points in a game. UT is now 29-2 in those contests.
Toledo begins the MAC season 1-0 for the first time since 2005.
With today's 24-point victory, Toledo has won eight of the last nine meetings in the Eastern Michigan series.
The victory was Toledo's first on the road since a 17-13 win at Northern Illinois on Nov. 7, 2006, snapping a streak of six straight road defeats. It was also the first time the defense held an opponent under 20 points since that win over NIU.
Junior RB DaJuane Collins carried the ball 19 times for a career-high 168 yards (8.8 avg.) and two touchdowns. It was Collins' third-career game over the century mark and multi-TD effort. His previous career high was 132 yards vs. Northern Illinois on Nov. 27, 2007. The Deptford, NJ native also had two rushing TD's last year against EMU.
Junior QB Aaron Opelt completed just 8-of-18 passes for 114 yards, but three of the passes resulted in touchdowns. Opelt has now thrown at least three TDs three times in his career. The co-captain also punted four times, averaging 29.3 yards per kick.
Sophomore LB Archie Donald recorded his first two career interceptions today against Eastern Michigan and finished with five tackles. Donald is the first Rocket to tally multiple picks in a single game since Bo Martin had two against Kansas on Sept. 15, 2006.
Senior WR Nick Moore returned to the starting lineup and finished with two catches for 42 yards. Moore saw limited playing time in last Saturday's season opener at Arizona, as he was recovering from an injury.
Junior TE Tom Burzine made his first career start this afternoon, as the Rockets came out it in a two-tight end set. Burzine has appeared in 24 career games in two-plus seasons.
Toledo held EMU to just 263 yards of total offense, including 37 yards in the Eagles' first 25 plays from scrimmage.
Senior DL Sean Williamson tallied his first career fumble recovery on the final play of the first half.
Junior WR Stephen Williams caught two TD passes in the third quarter and finished with three receptions for 48 yards. It is Williams' third career multi-TD effort. The Houston, TX native has now caught a TD pass in each of the first two games this season. Williams had six catches for 150 yards and two scores vs. EMU last year.
Junior SS Barry Church led the Rockets with a game-high 10 tackles. It is Church's fifth-career game with at-least double digit stops.
Sophomore Greg Harris returned three kickoffs for a total of 80 yards, including a career long 41-yard return in the third quarter.
Junior WR Robin Bailey collected his first career TD reception with a 14-yard catch in the third quarter.
Sophomore CB Myshan Veasley-Pettis recovered a muffed fair catch on a punt in the third quarter. Pettis ended the game with four tackles.
Redshirt RB Morgan Williams ran the ball nine times for 35 yards and scored his first career TD on a nine-yard scamper in the third quarter.
Toledo scored on four of its five possessions in the third quarter and finished the period with 27 points, eighth-most in a quarter in school history. The record is 34 points vs. Davis & Elkins on Sept. 15, 1951.
