Toledo Rockets vs Arkansas State Red Wolves Match Player Stats On Jan 04, 2015

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 5, 2015

Toledo 63, Arkansas State 44: Kareem Hunt rushed 32 times for a career-high 271 yards and five touchdowns as the Rockets stormed past the Red Wolves in the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Hunt tied a school and NCAA bowl record with touchdown runs of 4, 44, 29, 6 and 1 yards for Toledo (9-4), which won eight of its final 10 games and claimed its first bowl victory since 2011. Damion Jones-Moore added 103 rushing yards and two fourth-quarter touchdown runs to help the Rockets pull clear of the pesky Red Wolves.

Arkansas State (7-6) lost despite a stellar outing by Fredi Knighten, who completed 23-of-31 passes for 403 yards and five touchdowns. Booker Mays had 138 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Tres Houston caught a 66-yard TD pass for the Red Wolves, who were seeking their third straight GoDaddy Bowl victory.

Hunt rushed for three touchdowns in the first half, including two during an explosive first quarter that saw the teams combine for 35 points. Hunt’s 29-yard run put Toledo ahead 28-17 late in the second quarter before Allen Covington recovered a fumble and returned it 67 yards for the Rockets’ second defensive score of the half.

Toledo extended its lead to 42-17 midway through the third quarter on Hunt’s 6-yard TD run before the Red Wolves responded with Knighten’s 55-yard scoring pass to Mays and Money Hunter’s 94-yard interception return for a touchdown. The teams exchanged TDs early in the fourth quarter, and Jones-Moore put the Rockets ahead 56-38 with a 10-yard run before Arkansas State responded with Knighten’s 3-yard scoring pass to Darion Griswold with 2:17 remaining.

GAME NOTEBOOK: RB Michael Gordon carried 10 times for 36 yards for Arkansas State, which was held to 65 total rushing yards after entering the game ranked 24th in the nation at 229 per game. … Hunt rushed for at least 100 yards for the 11th straight game for the Rockets, who outgained the Red Wolves 541-468 in total yards. … Hunt’s five touchdowns tied a bowl record set by Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders.