AMHERST, Mass. – Dequan Finn rushed for a career-high 172 yards and accounted for three touchdowns to lead Toledo to a 41-24 victory over UMass in Amherst, Mass. on Saturday.

Finn's rushing output was the most ever by a Rocket quarterback in a single game. He also established the career mark for rushing yards by a Toledo QB with 1,690, passing Ryan Huzjak (1,539 from 1993-96).

Finn had one rushing touchdown on the day and two passing TDs, both to Jerjuan Newton. For the day, Finn completed 15-of-23 passes for 139 yards. He now has 5,516 career passing yards, moving him past Tavares Bolden (5,417 from 1999-2001) and Chris Wallace (5,454 from 1995-98) into eighth place on UT's career list.

"Dequan a tremendous player and he was aided today by a really good offensive line," said Head Coach Jason Candle, who moved to No. 2 on Toledo's career win list with 59, one more than Tom Amstutz.  "Any time you can supplement the running game with your quarterback, it will be beneficial for you. We expected a bad weather day all week long, and obviously we didn't really get that today. I thought we had a good rushing game plan heading into the game."
 
 "It's a pretty surreal moment," said Finn when informed he had set two school records. "I need to thank my offensive line. They did a great job today and put me in a great position to succeed. They brought a lot of energy today and got everybody going."

Junior running back Peny Boone contributed plenty to the Rockets' rushing attack as well, accumulating 129 yards on 17 carries and scoring twice. Sophomore wide receiver Junior Vandeross III led Toledo with five catches for 34 yards, and Newton caught four balls for 43 yards and two scores.

Toledo withstood a pair of long UMass touchdown tosses in the second quarter to overcome a 21-17 halftime deficit. The Minutemen connected on TD throws of 71 and 31 yards to take the lead heading into the locker room, but the Rockets' defense allowed just three points in the second half.

Senior linebacker Dallas Gant led the way defensively with nine tackles, one for a loss, while senior safety Nate Bauer, senior safety Zachary Ford, and junior linebacker Daniel Bolden all tallied seven stops. Sophomore safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren had five tackles and an interception, his second of the season.

First Quarter

• UMass took the opening drive 75 yards in six plays with Kay'Ron Adams going 47 yards up the middle for the score.
• Toledo answered with a 38-yard field by Luke Pawlak.
• Peny Boone made it 10-7 with a 21-yard TD run with 3:37 left.

Second Quarter

• Toledo went 80 yards in 10 plays to make it 17-7, capped by an eight-yard TD pass from Dequan Finn to Jerjuan Newton.
• UMass struck right back on the very next play with a 71-yard TD strike from Taisun Phommachanh to Anthony Simpson to cut the lead to 17-14.
• UMass re-took the lead on a 31-yard TD pass from Phommachanh to George Johnson with 3:02 left in the half.

Third Quarter

• Finn got Toledo back out front with a 56-yard touchdown run down the right side of the field.
• Moments later, Peny Boone nearly matched that with a 49-yard TD run on fourth-and-one to give Toledo a 31-21 lead with 10:11 to play in the quarter.
• UMass trimmed the lead to 31-24 with a 49-yard field goal.
• Finn connected with Newton for another touchdown, this time from 20 yards out to increase the led to 38-24 with 2:48 left in the quarter.
• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren squashed a UMass drive with an interception on the UT 20-yard line.

Fourth Quarter

• Luke Pawlak made it 41-24 with a 36-yard field goal on Toledo's first drive of the quarter.
• UMass had a chance to cut into the Rockets' lead, but a 34-yard field goal attempt with 5:19 to play missed the mark.

• Toledo's win makes it 5-1 for the first time since 2017. It is also the first time the Rockets have won five straight since the 2017 season when they also won five in a row.
• The victory gives Head Coach Jason Candle his 59^th career win, passing Tom Amstutz (58 wins from 2001-08) for second on Toledo's all-time list. Gary Pinkel is the all-time leader with 73 wins from 1991-2000.
• Toledo moves to 8-1 all-time vs. UMass.
• The Rockets rushed for 375 yards on Saturday, the most rushing yards in a single game since totaling 436 at Colorado State on Sept. 21, 2019.
• UT's 375 rushing yards are the seventh-most by an FBS team in a game this season.
• Dequan Finn set a pair of school records, rushing for 172 yards, the most ever by a Rocket quarterback in a single game. His record-setting game gives him 1,690 career rushing yards, moving him past Huzjak (1,539 yards from 1993-96) for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in Toledo history.
• Finn's 172 rushing yards are the second-most by an FBS quarterback in a game this season behind Syracuse QB Garret Shrader, who had 195 rushing yards vs. Purdue on Sept. 16.
• Finn's 56-yard TD run was his longest dash of the season and the second longest of his career (70-yard TD run vs. Ball State, Sept., 25, 2021).
• Finn threw for 139 yards, giving him 5,516 for his career, moving him past Tavares Bolden (5,417 from 1999-2001) and Chris Wallace (5,454 from 1995-98) into eighth place on UT's career list.
• Finn's two TD passes gives him 53 for his career, moving him ahead of Ryan Huzjak (52 TDs from 1993-96) for fourth on Toledo's all-time list.
• Jerjuan Newton caught two touchdowns vs. UMAss and now has nine TD receptions this season. He has also caught at least one TD pass in all six games this season. He entered today's contest tied for third in nation in TD catches.
• Sophomore safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren nabbed his second interception of the season.

Up Next

      The Rockets travel to Ball State for an important MAC West Division matchup on Saturday, Oct. 14.