Junior quarterback Eli Peters hit junior tight end Drew Rosi for a 15-yard touchdown in overtime to lead Toledo to a 37-34 victory over Eastern Michigan Saturday in a rain-soaked Glass Bowl.
The Eagles took the lead in overtime, 34-31, on a 24-yard field goal by Chad Ryland. Toledo was faced with third-and-10 from the 15-yard line when Peters hit Rosi on a corner route to send the Rockets into a wild celebration.
Sophomore running back Bryant Koback led the Rocket offense with a career-high 259 yards and two touchdowns. Peters, starting his first game of the season in place of injured quarterbacks Mitchell Guadagni and Carter Bradley, completed 9 of 18 passes for 138 and two touchdowns. Junior Shakif Seymour added 94 yards rushing as Toledo racked up 504 yards of total offense, 366 on the ground.The win moves Toledo to 5-3, 2-2 in Mid-American Conference play, a game behind Ball State (3-1) and a half-game behind Western Michigan and Central Michigan (both 3-2). Eastern Michigan falls to 4-4, 1-3 MAC.
Toledo jumped on the board first on their opening drive, scoring on a five-yard run by Koback that capped a 15-play, 67-yard drive.Later in the first quarter, the Rockets missed a chance to add to their lead when Koback lost the ball at the pylon on an attempted dive into the end zone, resulting in a touchback for EMU.
Evan Davis connected on 26-yard field goal early in the second quarter to boost Toledo’s lead to 10-0.
EMU cut the lead to 10-7 on a one-armed touchdown grab by Arthur Jackson from Mike Glass from 24 yards out. On their next possession the Eagles tied the score on a 29-yard field from Chad Ryland.
Toledo wasted no time to start the second half, moving 44 yards in three plays to a take a 16-10 lead. Ronnie Jones set up the drive with a 48-yard kickoff return. Seymour finished the drive with a seven-yard run. The extra point was no good due to a bobbled snap.
The Rockets added to their lead on a 19-yard TD pass from Peters to Bryce Mitchell. Peters hooked up with Rosi for the two-point conversion to make the score 24-10.
Moments later, Koback made it 31-10 with a 54-yard TD run.EMU came back with an 11-play drive that was capped by a four-yard rushing TD by Glass. The Eagles went for two points on the conversion, but the pass attempt fell incomplete, making the score 31-16.
In the fourth quarter, EMU cut the lead to 31-24 on a three-yard TD and a two-point conversion run by Vann. With 8:18 to play. Vann scored again on a 26-yard TD run to tie the score with 2:35 left. The Eagles recovered a Toledo fumble and had a chance to win it in regulation, but Ryland’s 33-yard attempt sailed wide right with 1:03 to play.
In overtime, the Eagles took possession first and grabbed a 34-31 lead on a 24-yard field goal by Ryland.
Toledo was faced with third-and-10 from the 15-yard line when Peters hit Rosi on a corner route to send the Rockets into a wild celebration.
Up next, the Rockets host Kent State Tuesday, Nov. 5. Kickoff time will be announced soon.