Ames, IA – Freshman Terry Swanson rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns but it wasn't enough as Toledo lost to Iowa State, 37-30, in non-conference action in Ames, IA on Saturday.
Toledo scored a touchdown with 56 seconds left when sophomore quarterback Logan Woodside completed a four-yard shovel pass to sophomore Marc Remy. That cut the Iowa State lead to seven points and set up an on-side kick attempt by the Rockets. Senior placekicker Jeremiah Detmer pounded the ball right at ISU's Luke Knott and immediately tackled him. But Knott hung on to the ball and secured the Cyclone victory.
Toledo's late rally came after a pair of ISU fourth-quarter touchdowns broke a 23-23 deadlock.
The game was closely fought throughout. ISU held a slight 454-425 edge in total yardage. Neither team had a turnover. Woodside was 7-of-15 in the first half but came on strong in the final 30 minutes, finishing 22-of-36 for 189 yards.
The game began as field-goal contest, with Toledo getting on the board first with a 27-yard boot from Jeremiah Detmer on the Rockets' first drive. Iowa State's Cole Netten countered with a pair of field goals from 32 and 36 yards to give the Cyclones a 6-3 first-quarter lead.
Toledo took a 10-6 lead midway through the second quarter on a nifty 14-yard TD run by Swanson. Swanson's run capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive in which UT went 4-for-4 on third-down plays. The Rockets extended the lead to 13-6 with 3:20 left in the half on a 29-yarder by Detmer. Netten came right back with a 37-yarder with 13 seconds left to trim Toledo's lead to 13-9 at the half.
Iowa State regained the lead on its first possession of the second half. Sam Richardson hit Tad Ecby down the sideline for a 23-yard score to put the Cyclones up, 16-13. After Toledo went three-and-out, ISU came back with another touchdown drive, this one eight plays and 65 yards, capped by a one-yard plunge by Martinez Syria to make the score 23-13.
Toledo trimmed the lead back to three points, 23-20, on a one-yard rush from Swanson with 4:01 left in the third quarter. After a stop by the UT defense, the Rockets tied the game, 23-23, on a 41-yard Detmer field goal early in the fourth quarter.
Iowa State answered one more time, driving 75 yards in 3:15 to go up, 30-23, with 10:23 left. A pass interference call on third-and-nine kept the drive going. Richardson finished off the drive with a five-yard TD pass to E.J. Bibbs. Bibbs was held up at the five-yard line after the catch, but broke free of a tackle and crossed the goal line.
Toledo was then forced to punt, giving the ball back to ISU with 7:55 to play. The Cyclones burned up 4:20 off the clock and scored on a 14-yard pass from Sam Richardson to Allen Lazard. Toledo was able to cut the lead to seven points but simply ran out of time.
The Rockets will now have a bye next weekend before hosting UMass for Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. against the Minutemen in the Glass Bowl.
