ATHENS, Ohio – Every time Toledo needed a big play, junior running back Bryant Koback came through.
     Koback rushed for 203 yards and four touchdowns, including a game-breaker on fourth down in the third quarter, to lead Toledo to a 35-23 victory at Ohio on Tuesday.
     Koback scored from 8, 4, 55 and 13 yards out, lifting Toledo (6-5, 4-3 MAC) to its second consecutive win. The 55-yarder came on fourth-and-one and Toledo holding a slim 14-9 lead midway the third quarter. Toledo led 35-9 before Ohio scored two late touchdowns, but it was too little, too late.
     With the victory the Rockets are now bowl eligible for the 11th consecutive year – every year since 2010, not counting 2020 in which bowl eligibility requirements were waived.
     Koback now has 1,139 yards on the season, the second time in his career he has cracked the 1000-yard mark. He had 1,187 yards in 2019. He also moved past Terry Swanson for fourth on Toledo's all-time list with 3,765 career rushing yards.
    Redshirt freshman quarterback Dequan Finn completed 10-of-14 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, an 85-yarder to junior Matt Landers that gave Toledo a 28-9 lead late in the third quarter.
    Senior linebacker Jonathan Jones tallied a career-high 14 tackles to lead Toledo and he was one of four Rockets to record double-digit stops. Senior safety Tycen Anderson, junior defensive end Desjuan Johnson, and freshman safety Maxen Hook all had 10 tackles. Senior cornerback Samuel Womack added a season-high three pass breakups, tying his career high.
First Quarter
     Each team picked up four first downs but neither team threatened to score in the first quarter.
Second Quarter
     Ohio drew first blood with a 34-yard field goal by Stephen Johnson. On the next series, Toledo put the ball in Bryant Koback's hands and he responded with 37 yards on four carries, the last going for three yards into the end zone to give Toledo a 7-3 lead. Koback made it 14-3 with a four-yard TD run with 4:15 left in the half, the last of four straight carries that racked up 37 yards on the drive. Ohio cut the lead to 14-6 on a 41-yard field goal by Johnson on the final play of the half.
Third Quarter
     Ohio cut the lead to 14-9 on a 32-yard field goal by Johnson that capped a 15-play drive that was extended thanks to a successful fake punt. But Koback struck again, this time going 55 yards on fourth-and-one to hit paydirt and increase Toledo's lead to 21-9. Moments later, Dequan Finn found wideout Matt Landers over the middle and Landers took it 85 yards for the score.
Fourth Quarter
     Ohio missed a chance to chip away at the lead when Johnson's 25-yard field-goal attempt on the Bobcats' first possession of the quarter hit the left upright. Toledo recovered a muffed punt on the OU 16-yard line and the Rockets took advantage as Koback scored his fourth TD of the game from 13 yards out. The Bobcats scored their first touchdown of the night with 4:29 to go, capping a 14-play drive with a short rushing TD. OU recovered the ensuing onside kick, then scored again on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kurtis Rourke to Chase Cokley, putting the score at 35-23. Ohio's fourth quarter surge would end there, as Toledo was able to run out the clock and end the game.
Up Next
     The Rockets return home to host Akron in the regular-season finale on Saturday, Nov. 27 (Noon/ESPN+).
Head Coach Jason Candle post-game.
Junior Bryant Koback post-game.
Senior Samuel Womack post-game.
