Toledo shows Its explosiveness using Big plays to defeat UMASS

9/7/2024 Toledo, OH

Toledo’s Tucker Gleason went 8-23 for 175 yards with 3 touchdowns while adding 34 on the ground as Rockets pulled away from UMASS. A 40 yard pass from Gleason to Jerjuan Newton opened up the scoring. After trading field goals, the Minutemen scored on a Phommachanh pass to Jakobie Keeney-James (6 catches for 93yds) to tie the game at 10. On the ensuing kickoff Jacquez Stuart returned it 98 yards for the score and the second of Toledo’s big plays on the day. UMASS were able to close the gap with a field goal to end the 1st half and another midway through the 3rd quarter but the Rockets came up with a huge Gleason pass, a 73-yard Td to Junior Vandross III pushing the score to 24-16. Willie Shaw opened the 4th with a four-yard jaunt pushing the lead to 15 at 31-16. UMASS’s quarterback Taisun Phommachanh (26-40 259 1-1, 44yds rushing) scored on an 8 yard run to pull within 8 but the final Tucker Gleason Td pass to Anthony Torres sealed the game for the Rockets. Toledo improves to 2-0 and will face Mississippi State in their next outing while UMASS at 0-2 is on the road at Buffalo.