TOLEDO - Senior Adonis Thomas rushed for 115 yards and sophomore wide receiver Bernard Reedy scored twice to lead the Toledo Rockets to a 58-22 victory in the season opener over New Hampshire in the Glass Bowl Thursday night.
Toledo effectively alternated its two quarterbacks, junior Austin Dantin and sophomore Terrance Owens. Dantin completed 15-of-21 passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns, while Owens connected on 10-of-13 passes for 122 yards and two scores. Reedy led the receivers with 113 yards on five catches.
Toledo's defense was strong when it needed to be, holding the Wildcats to 121 yards of total offense and one score in the first half. For the game, the Rocket 'D' forced five turnovers and racked up eight tackles for loss. Three New Hampshire turnovers in the first half led directly to three Rocket touchdowns.
The game was never in doubt, as Toledo jumped out to a 27-0 first-half lead. The Rockets were leading, 3-0, when Dantin hit Page for a TD from 24 yards out to give UT a 10-0 cushion with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
New Hampshire seemingly answered with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Dontra Peters, but the play was called back due to a unnecessary roughness penalty. Three plays later the Wildcats turned it over again, this time on a fumble by Nico Steriti that was forced by Johnathan Lamb and recovered by Charles Rancifer.
Toledo wasted no time, as Owens hit Bernard Reedy over the middle for a 45-yard TD to make the score 17-0.
A third New Hampshire turnover led to Toledo's third straight touchdown. The Wildcats moved the ball down to Toledo's 15-yard line but junior linebacker Robert Bell forced a fumble that was recovered by senior lineman Malcolm Riley. A few plays later, Thomas juked through tacklers for a 46-yard TD on a third-and-four play to give UT a comfortable 24-0 lead.
After a 33-yard field goal by Ryan Casano, New Hampshire cut the gap to 19 on a nine-play drive and a two-point conversion to make the score, 27-8, with 26 seconds left in the half. A poorly executed squib kick by New Hampshire allowed Casano to convert a 38-yard field goal with no time on the clock to give Toledo a 30-8 lead at halftime.
Toledo tacked on two more touchdowns on its first two possessions in the third quarter to put the game out reach.
The Rockets (1-0, 0-0 MAC) will travel to Ohio State next Saturday to face the No. 18 Buckeyes.
