MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Redshirt freshman quarterback Dequan Finn nearly rallied Toledo from a 17-point second-half deficit, but the Rockets came up just short in a 26-23 overtime setback at Central Michigan on Saturday. Toledo fell to 3-4, 1-2 MAC while CMU is now 4-3, 2-1 MAC.

Finn tied the score at 23-23 with 35 seconds left when he scored from 18 yards out. CMU got the ball first in overtime and settled for a 38-yard field goal to take a 26-23 lead. A sack on third down force Toledo to attempt a 51-yard field goal into the wind, but sophomore Thomas Cluckey's attempt just missed left.

Finn completed 15-of-32 passes for 208 yards in his first start as a Rocket, rallying Toledo from a 20-3 deficit early in the third quarter. He gained 43 yards on the ground and scored twice.

Junior Bryant Koback led Toledo's rushing attack with 87 yards on 15 carries. Junior Isaiah Winstead hauled in a team-high 108 receiving yards on four receptions, with Koback also catching four passes for 39 yards.

First Quarter
      Central Michigan opened the scoring with a 16-yard TD pass from Daniel Richardson to Dallas Dixon, capping a 15-play drive that ate up 6:21 on the clock. Toledo missed a chance to get on the scoreboard when Thomas Cluckey's 49-yard field goal attempt went wide right.

Second Quarter
      The Chippewas made it 14-0 on a short drive that was set up when Toledo was forced to punt from its own two-yard line. Richardson hit Lew Nichols for a six-yard TD pass on the fifth play of a 21-yard drive. Toledo cut the lead to 14-3 on a 41-yard Cluckey field goal. CMU then extended the lead to 17-3 on a 46-yard field goal as time expired.

Third Quarter
      Bryce Mitchell got the Rockets off to a good start with a 76-yard kickoff return to the CMU 19-yard line. But the Rockets came away empty-handed on the drive when Cluckey's 32-yard field goal went wide right. CMU then tacked on three more points on a 51-yard field goal to grow the lead to 20-3. Toledo scored it s first touchdown of the contest, a three-yard run by quarterback Dequan Finn with 3:01 left in the quarter, to trim the lead to 20-10. The score was set up by a 49-yard completion by Finn to Isaiah Winstead to the CMU 11-yard line.

Fourth Quarter
      The Rockets moved closer with a 23-yard field goal by Cluckey on their first drive of the fourth quarter to make the score 20-13.After the Chippewas answered with a field goal of their own, Cluckey connected on a career-long 50-yarder to again make it a one-score game. Toledo's defense came through with a three-and-out. Finn then led Toledo 71 yards in seven plays, scampering into the end zone from 18 yards out with 35 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

Overtime
      The Rockets' defense held on the first possession of overtime, forcing CMU to kick a 38-yard field goal. Thomas Cluckey had a chance to send the game to a second overtime but his 51-yard attempt was just left of the upright.

Up Next
     The Rockets host Western Michigan next Saturday in a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.


Head Coach Jason Candle post-game.


Freshman Dequan Finn post-game.