Toledo Rockets vs Air Force Falcons Match Player Stats On Dec 28, 2011

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 28, 2011

Terrance Owens threw three touchdown passes to Bernard Reedy - including a 33-yarder to break a tie with 5:01 remaining - and Toledo held on for a 42-41 victory over Air Force in the Military Bowl at RFK Stadium in Washington on Wednesday.

Air Force pulled within 42-41 with 52 seconds left on Tim Jefferson's 33-yard touchdown pass to Zack Kauth, but failed on a two-point conversion off a fake extra point attempt when Toledo's Jayrone Elliott caused David Baska to fumble. Toledo recovered the ensuing onside kick.

Reedy caught the winning pass at the 28 and weaved through defenders and into the end zone as the Rockets (9-4) finished the season on a four-game winning streak with eight wins in their last nine games. Toledo came in with the No. 8 scoring offense at 42.2 points.

Jefferson passed for two touchdowns and ran for another - a 22-yarder - and Mike DeWitt rushed for two touchdowns as the Falcons (7-6) had their two-game bowl winning streak snapped in their school-record fifth straight bowl game.

Toledo entered with the No. 23 rushing defense in the country at 123.1 yards per game, but allowed 248 to the nation's No. 2 running attack, including 177 in the first half as the Rockets were facing a triple option offense for the first time this season. Air Force, though, averaged 320 yards.

Meanwhile, Air Force's No. 113 run defense held the No. 14 rushing offense to 143 yards, 78 below its season average.

The teams, which had never met, combined for 56 points and 487 yards in the first half, which ended in a 28-28 tie.

Toledo took a 35-28 lead when Jermaine Robinson intercepted Jefferson's pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown with 8:56 left in the third quarter before Witt answered with a 2-yard touchdown run 2:57 later.

Owens' second touchdown pass to Reedy - a 48-yarder - gave Toledo a 28-21 lead before Jefferson found Jonathan Warzeka for a 37-yard touchdown with 2:07 left in the half. Reedy finished with four catches and 126 yards.

Special teams played a big factor as Toledo led 21-14 after a wild first quarter. Eric Page had an 87-yard kickoff return to make it 21-7 and Adonis Thomas' 24-yard touchdown run gave the Rockets a 14-0 lead on the first play after Air Force's Cody Getz fumbled a kickoff return.

Toledo played its first game under Matt Campbell, 32, who became the youngest coach of an FBS team when he took over for Tim Beckman on Dec. 12. Campbell served as offensive coordinator under Beckman, who was named Illinois coach on Dec. 9.