Rockets Spoil Eastern Michigan’s Homecoming, 34-14

Saturday, October 17

Ypsilanti, Mich.

3:30 PM

University of Toledo

5-2 , 2-1

Eastern Michigan

4-4 , 3-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Toledo	10	21	3	0	34
Eastern Michigan	0	7	7	0	14

Andrew Zock against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 17, 2026

Andrew Zock spent much of the day in the Eastern Michigan backfield, with nine QB hurries, 2.0 sacks and nine tackles in Toledo's 34-14 win on Saturday.

Photo by: Bree Bee

Rockets Spoil Eastern Michigan’s Homecoming, 34-14

10/17/2026 7:31:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Press Conference Transcript

Defense totals six sacks and 16 QB hurries as Rockets take control from the outset

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The University of Toledo spoiled Eastern Michigan's Homecoming Game on Saturday, with a dominant 34-14 victory at Rynearson Stadium.

The Rockets took out their frustrations on the Eagles, scoring early and often in the offensive onslaught. UT scored on all five of its first-half possessions to build a 31-7 halftime lead, and it never dipped before 20 in the second half.

Quarterback John Alan Richter finished 24-of-30 passing for 288 yards and one touchdown. Running back CJ Miller rushed for 48 yards and two TDs on 13 carries, while Autavius Ison added 104 yards on 18 carries and a score for his first 100-yard effort of the season. Wide receiver Bryson Hammer led the Rockets in receiving with 69 yards on five catches, while Adjatay Dabbs added five catches for 66 yards and the game's opening TD.

The Toledo defense was stout from start to finish, limiting Eastern Michigan to 14 points and 235 total yards. The Eagles had just 34 rushing yards on 28 carries (1.2 yards per play), the fewest rushing yards UT's given up since Oct. 1, 2022 (33 against Central Michigan).

Eastern Michigan quarterback Noah Kim---and later Jace Stuckey---was under duress most of the day. They dropped back 36 times, with Toledo being credited for 16 QB hurries and six sacks. Much of the pressure came from a monster performance by defensive end Andrew Zock, who set or tied career high with nine QB hurries, two sacks and nine total tackles, adding a forced fumble. Linebackers Julian Fox and Isaac Zay recorded double-digit tackles, with 11 for Fox and 10 for Zay.

Toledo's defense and special teams totaled two fumble recoveries and held Eastern Michigan to 0 for 4 on fourth down. Defensive lineman Lucas Lambert-Pipkin and long snapper Max Allen contributed the fumble recoveries, while punter Markus Meincke dropped two punts inside the 20, including one at the 1-yard line.

How It Happened

For the first time this season, Toledo kept its opponent off the scoreboard on its first possession, preventing Eastern Michigan from converting a fourth-and-4 on a dropped pass. The Rockets then marched 65 yards in seven plays for a touchdown, as John Alan Richter found Adjatay Dabbs open on a 28-yard pass.
On the next snap, Andrew Zock forced a fumble, and Lucas Lambert-Pipkin recovered it. Toledo turned it into a 30-yard field goal by Reice Griffith and took a 10-0 lead.
The Rockets made it 17-0 less than a minute into the second quarter on a 1-yard TD plunge by CJ Miller.
Eastern Michigan responded with an eight-play, 73-yard touchdown drive, culminating in a 30-yard TD pass.
The Rockets needed barely three minutes of game time to reclaim a three-score lead (24-7), as Autavius Ison found the end zone from 13 yards out.
It was 31-7 after Toledo went 90 yards in 11 plays just before halftime. Miller capped the drive with his second TD run of the day (three yards).
Toledo was forced to punt on its first possession of the second half, but Eastern Michigan muffed the punt, and long snapper Max Allen recovered the football inside the red zone. The Rockets tacked on three points via a 29-yard field goal by Griffith.
Eastern Michigan recovered a fumble on the Rockets' 30 and looked to get within two scores, but a sack on fourth down ended the threat.

Game Notes

Andrew Zock's two sacks tied a career high and marked the fourth time in his career he's had two in a game. He has been in the sack column each of Toledo's last six games and has seven for the season.
Zock's nine QB hurries set a new career high for the Florida native, breaking a previous high of seven in a 2024 matchup against Furman while with Mercer.
CJ Miller's two touchdown rushes marked the second time this season with two rushing TDs (Ball State) and the third game with two total TDs.
John Alan Richter's 80 percent completion percentage was the best percentage of his career (min. 10 pass attempts).
The Rockets' 34 rushing yards allowed were the fewest since allowing just 33 to Central Michigan on Oct. 1, 2022. Eastern Michigan had only one rushing yard after three quarters.
The Rockets have scored at least 30 points in five of their first seven games for the first time since the 2022 MAC championship season.
UT has won four straight against EMU, and 17 of 19 in the series since 2007.
Toledo has now won four-straight MAC road games, dating back to last season.

Up Next
The Rockets return to the Glass Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 24 for Senior Day. Toledo and Western Michigan will kick off at noon. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network and can be heard on the Rocket Radio Network. Tickets are available at UTRockets.com/tickets.