AMHERST, Mass. – In another dominating performance by the defense, the Toledo Rockets overwhelmed non-conference opponent UMass, 45-7, in Amherst, Mass. on Saturday.
     Toledo (3-2, 1-0 MAC) converted three first-half turnovers into touchdowns, scoring on the very next play all three times, to cruise to a 31-0 halftime lead. UMass (0-5) could only manage 47 yards of offense in the first half and did not get a first down until five minutes into the second quarter. For the game, the Minutemen had 134 total yards and eight first downs. Junior outside linebacker Jamal Hines led the way for the Rocket defense with eight tackles, while Nate Bauer and Dyontae Johnson each had an interception.
     UMass' touchdown in the fourth quarter was the first allowed by the Toledo defense since the fourth quarter of the Notre Dame game, snapping a string of 11 consecutive quarters without allowing the opponent in the end zone.
     Junior running back Bryant Koback had a big day, rushing for 82 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, all in the first half. As a team, Toledo racked up 455 yards of total offense, 223 rushing yards and 232 passing yards. Sophomore quarterback Carter Bradley completed 11-of-18 passes for 110 yards, while redshirt freshman Dequan Finn connected on 8-of-10 passes for 102 yards and rushed for 43 yards, including a 34-yard score in the first quarter. Junior Isaiah Winstead and freshman DeMeer Blankumsee paced the receivers with four receptions each.
First Quarter
     Toledo's defense set the table for the game's first score when Jonathan Jones forced a fumble that was recovered by Desjuan Johnson on the UMass 34-yard line. On the next play, Dequan Finn called his own number on a read-option and bolted 34 yards for the touchdown.
Second Quarter
     Toledo added to its lead with a 29-yard field goal by Thomas Cluckey following a 10-play, 63-yard drive. Toledo's defense came through with another big play when Jamal Hines and Zachary Ford combined to stop UMass for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-two from its own 44-yard line. But Cluckey's 39-yard field goal attempt drifted wide right. Moments later, sophomore safety Nate Bauer picked off a pass near midfield and returned it 41 yards to the UMass five-yard line. Bryant Koback then took it in from five yards out to extend the Toledo lead to 17-0. Koback then made it 24-0 with a 18-yard run with 1:25 left in the half. The UT defense did it one more time when Dyontae Johnson intercepted a short pass and returned it 27 yards to the UMass 15-yard line. A UMass penalty after the play moved the ball to the eight and Bradley hit senior tight end Drew Rosi for the score to make it 31-0 at the half.
Third Quarter
     Toledo turned a UMass fumbled punt return into seven more points when Finn connected with Bryce Mitchell for a five-yard touchdown reception to increase the lead to 38-0.
Fourth Quarter
     The Rockets made it 45-0 on a six-yard touchdown run by Micah Kelly with 11:54 to play. UMass finally got on the scoreboard with 9:31 left in the game on a two-yard TD pass.
Up Next
     The Rockets host Northern Illinois in their annual Homecoming game next Saturday in a 12 noon kickoff.
Head Coach Jason Candle post-game.
Junior Bryant Koback post-game.
Junior Dyontae Johnson post-game.
