Rockets Rush Past Ball State in MAC Opener, 39-24

Saturday, October 3

Muncie, Ind.

2:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

4-1 , 1-0

Ball State

1-4 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Toledo	6	9	7	17	39
Ball St.	7	3	7	7	24

CJ Miller vs. Ball State on Oct. 3, 2026

Junior CJ Miller ran for a career high 196 yards and two touchdowns in Toledo's 39-24 win over Ball State on Saturday

Photo by: Bree Bee

10/3/2026 6:23:00 PM | Football

Box Score Toledo press conference transcript

CJ Miller and Connor Walendzak have career high rushing days as part of 352 yards on the ground

MUNCIE, Ind. – The University of Toledo came to Ball State on Saturday and took care of business behind a stout running game and key defensive moments with a 39-24 Mid-American Conference victory at Scheumann Stadium on Saturday.

The Rockets (4-1, 1-0 MAC) outscored the Cardinals (1-4, 0-1 MAC) 24-14 in the second half after trailing for most of the first half.

Momentum shifted in Toledo's favor after Ball State missed a chip-shot field goal late in the first half. The Rockets took possession at the Ball State 20-yard line with just over a minute left, marching 80 yards and scoring when John Alan Richter found Daryl Barnett Jr. open in the back of the end zone as time expired in the half. Toledo then led the entire second half, taking two-score leads at three separate points.

Toledo's rushing tandem of seniors CJ Miller (20 attempts, 196 yards) and Connor Walendzak (16 attempts, 103 yards) each eclipsed 100 yards, with Miller supplying two touchdowns and Walendzak one. Junior Autavius Ison added 43 yards on 12 carries, as Toledo carried for a season-high 352 yards on the ground, outrushing Ball State 352-132.

Richter was 19-of-35 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown. Junior Adjatay Dabbs led the Rockets with six catches for 82 yards.

Junior defensive end Andrew Zock had 2.5 tackles for loss, along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Sophomore cornerback Israel Petite recorded a team-high eight tackles and one pass breakup. Five Rockets also recorded a QB hurry, with junior defensive tackle Lucas Lambert-Pipkin forcing a safety.

How It Happened

Ball State took a 7-0 lead, striking on the game's opening series with a 10-play, 75-yard drive. The Cardinals benefitted from two 15-yard penalties by the Rockets.
On the next possession, Toledo trimmed the deficit with a 43-yard Reice Griffith field goal, which was set up by a 50-yard run from CJ Miller.
Toledo defensive end Andrew Zock forced a fumble and recovered it to give the Rockets the football on the Ball State 38-yard line.
The Rockets made it a one-point game on Griffith's second field goal of the game, this time from 21 yards out. John Alan Richter converted a 3rd and 13 on the drive with a 16-yard completion to Adjatay Dabbs.
Ball State increased its lead to 10-6 on a 38-yard field goal with 10:49 left in the second quarter.
The scoreboard read 10-8 after Toledo defensive tackle Lucas Lambert-Pipkin wrapped up Ball State QB Keldric Luster in the end zone, forcing a desperation heave that was flagged as intentional grounding.
The Cardinals missed a 26-yard field goal with just over a minute left in the first half. Toledo took possession at the Ball State 20 and went 80 yards in eight plays, with Richter tossing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Daryl Barnett Jr. on the final play of the first half. The 15-10 halftime lead was the Rockets' first of the game.
Toledo took a 22-10 lead when Connor Walendzak broke free on a 30-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
It took Ball State two plays to respond, as running back TJ Horton scored on a 66-yard TD run, making the score 22-17.
The Rockets went back up by two scores (29-17) on a 2-yard plunge by CJ Miller early in the fourth quarter.
After Toledo stopped a fake punt, the Rockets held the ball for 7:18 and tacked on a Griffith 24-yard field goal.
Luster found Jabari Smith for a 33-yard strike to make it a one-score game, 32-24 with 2:09 to play. However, the Rockets picked up a first down, before Miller exploded to the end zone for a 68-yard strike to ice the game.

Game Notes

Mike Jacobs earned his first MAC win as the Rockets' head coach. He is 75-12 all-time in conference games.
Toledo has won three-straight MAC road games for the first time since the final three MAC road contests of 2023.
CJ Miller's 196 yards on the ground was a career high, breaking his previous high of 172 last season with Mercer. Connor Walendzak also set a career high with his 103 rushing yards.
Miller's 68-yard run to cap the scoring was his longest as a Rocket. His career-high was a 79-yard rush last season against The Citadel while with Mercer.
Miller and Connor Walendzak's dual 100-yard rushing yard games was the Rockets' first game with two 100-yard rushers since Oct. 7, 2023, when Dequan Finn rushed for 172 and Peny Boone went for 129.
Toledo also totaled its most total rushing yards (352) since Oct. 7, 2023.
Toledo's defense earned its first safety since Aug. 30, 2025 at Kentucky.
All of Toledo's scoring drives were of at least 70 yards, with an average of 77.8 yards on the Rockets' four touchdown drives.

Up Next
The Rockets return to the Glass Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 10 for Homecoming. Toledo and Buffalo will kick off 3:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN Plus and can be heard on the Rocket Radio Network. Tickets are available at UTRockets.com/tickets.