TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo used four big plays to overcome UMass in a hard-fought 38-23 victory before 21,668 fans at the Glass Bowl on Saturday.
 
The Rockets held a 17-16 lead in the third quarter when sophomore safety Braden Awls made a diving interception to stop a UMass drive. On the very next play, quarterback Tucker Gleason connected with wide receiver Junior Vandeross over the middle for a 73-yard touchdown for the score to increase Toledo's lead to 24-16. Toledo tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and recovered an on-side kick late in the game to seal the victory.

"We scored 38 points, but there was a lot plays we left out there that we could have done a better job on," said Head Coach Jason Candle. "We wanted to get in a rhythm and have some explosive runs. It didn't work out this week and we need to try to figure that out next week. We have a massive test coming up out of conference this week (at Mississippi State) that we need to be on point with."
 
Toledo (2-0) held a narrow 17-13 lead at halftime thanks to a 40-yard touchdown reception by senior Jerjuan Newton and a 98-yard kickoff return by senior Jacquez Stuart.
 
Gleason threw for 175 yards and three TDs to go with a team-best 34 yards rushing on the night. Vanderross led all UT receivers with three receptions for 115 yards.
 
Toledo's defense came through with its second straight solid performance, holding UMass to just 4.4 yards per play, breaking up six passes and sacking quarterback Taison Phommachanh five times.
 
First Quarter

• After failing to gain a first down on its first three possessions, Toledo broke through on a shovel pass from Tucker Gleason to Jerjuan Newton who ran 40 yards down the left sideline for the touchdown.

Second Quarter

• UMass cut the lead to 7-3 on a 22-yard field goal by Jacob Lurie.
• Toledo countered with a 26-yard field goal by Dylan Cunanan to extend the lead to 10-3 with 9:09 left in the half.
• UMass tied the score at 10-10 on a 14-yard TD pass from Taison Phommachanh to Jakobie Keeney-James into the far corner of the end zone, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive with 2:44 left on the clock.
• Toledo responded with a 98-yard kickoff return by Jacquez Stuart to regain the lead, 17-10.
• UMass ran out all but one second of the clock to set up a 42-yard field goal by Lurie to cut the margin to 17-13 at the break.

Third Quarter

• UMass took its opening drive 59 yards on 17 plays but the Rockets' defense stiffened in the red zone, holding the Minutemen to a 30-yard field goal to cut the Toledo lead to 17-16.
• Toledo's defense came through with a diving interception by sophomore safety Braden Awls at the UT 27-yard line. On the very next play, Gleason hit Junior Vandeross over the middle and the junior receiver bolted 73 yards for the score to increase Toledo's lead to 24-16.

Fourth Quarter

• A 39-yard pass completion from Gleason to Vandeross set up a four-yard touchdown run by Willie Shaw to make it a 31-16 game with 12:30 left.
• UMass used a 10-play, 73-yard drive to cut the lead to 31-23.
• UMass attempted to convert an on-sides kick but it was recovered by Connor Walendzak. Four plays later, senior tight end Anthony Torres caught a seven-yard TD pass to close out the scoring with 2:26 left.

Up Next
      The Rockets travel to Mississippi State on Saturday, Sept. 14.
 
Toledo Post-Game Notes

• Junior Tucker Gleason threw for 175 yards and three touchdowns, his second straight game with three scoring tosses. He connected on a career-long 73-yard TD strike to Junior Vandeross in the third quarter.
• Head Coach Jason Candle moves his all-time record to 67-35. He needs seven more wins to pass Gary Pinkel (73-37-3 from 1991-2000) as Toledo's all-time leader.
• Jerjuan Newton's first-quarter touchdown reception gives him 23 for his career, moving him into a tie with Bernard Reedy (2010-13) for seventh on Toledo's all-time list.
• Newton's 40 receiving yards gives him 2,032 for this career, and makes him the 14^th Rocket to pass 2,000 receiving yards in a career.
• Jacquez Stuart's 98-yard kickoff return in the second quarter was the third touchdown on a kickoff return in his career, and his longest. Stuart's three career touchdowns on kickoff returns ties Bernard Reedy (2010-13) on Toledo's all-time list. The all-time leader is Eric Page (2009-11) with four.
• Freshman Dylan Cunanan kicked his first career field goal, a 26-yarder in the second quarter.
• Junior safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren led the defense with a career-high 14 tackles to go with a pass breakup and a sack. Senior linebacker Jackson Barrow tied his career high with nine stops.
• Junior Vandeross' 73-yard TD reception was the longest of his career. It was also the longest passing play for Gleason and the longest pass play for Toledo overall since Oct. 26, 2019 when Eli Peters connected with Danzel McKinley-Lewis for an 82-yard completion.
• Vandeross finished with a game-high 115 receiving yards, the third 100-yard receiving effort of his career.
• Saturday was the second consecutive game senior Anthony Torres, Newton, Vandeross each caught a touchdown pass.
• Toledo is now 8-1 all-time vs. UMass. The Minutemen will join the MAC next year.