TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo scored a go-ahead touchdown with 3:35 remaining but Northern Illinois answered with a field goal with 26 seconds left to send the Rockets to a 22-20 defeat on Saturday afternoon at the Glass Bowl.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Dequan Finn hit Devin Maddox with an 11-yard TD pass to give the Rockets a 20-19 edge. The two-point conversion failed, keeping the Huskies within striking distance. NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi hit wide receiver Messiah Travis on a 34-yard completion that set up the Huskies' game-winning 29-yard field goal with 26 seconds left. Toledo was out of timeouts and could not stage a last-second rally.

Junior Bryant Koback led the Rockets with 91 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns, one on a 40-yard run and another on a 75-yard reception. Finn connected on 10-of-17 passes for 186 yards and added 25 yards on the ground.

Toledo (3-3, 1-1 MAC) had 372 yards of offense, while Northern Illinois (4-2, 2-0 MAC) had 371. Toledo was hurt by third-down conversions, making just 1-of-10 while NIU made 7-of-18.

First Quarter

      Northern Illinois scored on its opening drive, moving 50 yards on 11 plays before settling for a 43-yard field goal. NIU had a chance to make it 10-0 but an apparent touchdown run was called back after a review put the ball at the one-yard line. The Huskies had to settle for a 23-yard field goal attempt that hit the left upright, keeping the score at 3-0. Toledo's defense came up with a big play near the end of the quarter when junior nickelback Chris McDonald picked off a pass at the goal line and returned it 32 yards.

Second Quarter

      Northern Illinois extended the lead to 6-0 on a 26-yard field goal following a 13-play, 72-yard drive that stalled at the eight-yard line. Toledo took the lead for the first time on a 40-yard TD run by Bryant Koback. NIU came right back with another 43-yard field goal to retake the lead, 9-7. Koback did it again, this time through the air, taking a short pass from Dequan Finn and bolting 75 yards for the score, giving Toledo a 14-9 edge with 2:25 left. The Huskies' Antario Brown countered with a 37-yard score to make it 16-14 at the half.

Third Quarter

      Toledo missed a chance to take the lead when Thomas Cluckey's 48-yard field goal attempt missed wide right with 9:15 left in the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

      Toledo moved the ball into NIU territory but was stopped on fourth-and-six at the Huskies' 36-yard line with 11:35 left when Dequan Finn's pass to Devin Maddox was stopped for a two-yard loss. NIU extended the lead to 19-14 on a 47-yard field goal with 6:19 left. Toledo took a 20-19 lead on an 11-yard TD pass from Finn to Devin Maddox. Maddox was stopped on an attempted two-point conversion rush, leaving Toledo with a 20-19 lead. NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi hit wide receiver Messiah Travis on a 34-yard completion that set up the Huskies' game-winning 29-yard field goal with 26 seconds left. Toledo was out of timeouts and could not stage a last-second rally.

Up Next

      The Rockets travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to take on Central Michigan next Saturday in a 3:30 kickoff.


Head Coach Jason Candle post-game.