BOCA RATON, Fla. – Quarterback Dequan Finn threw for one touchdown and ran for another to rally Toledo to a 21-19 victory over Liberty at the Roofclaim.com Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium on Tuesday.
The win marked the first bowl victory for Toledo since a 31-17 win vs. No. 24 at the 2015 Marmot Boca Raton Bowl. Tuesday's win is also only the second time in Toledo history and the first time since 2001 that the Rockets won both the MAC Championship Game and a bowl game in the same season.
Finn, who was briefly knocked out of the game after being sacked in the first quarter, hit tight end Lenny Kühl for a four-yard touchdown in the third quarter, then ran it in himself in the fourth quarter to put the Rockets up 21-7 with 10:35 to play. UT withstood two fourth-quarter touchdowns from the Flames and stopped a two-point conversion attempt with 3:40 to play to hang on and win. For his efforts, Finn was named Offensive MVP.
Toledo's stout defense once again turned in a solid performance, holding Liberty to just 253 yards of total offense, including just 91 yards in the first half. Senior Nate Givhan was named Defensive MVP after contributing perhaps the biggest play of the game, a third-quarter strip sack that set up the Rockets inside the Liberty 10-yard line on the ensuing drive. Junior kicker Thomas Cluckey was named Special Teams MVP after going 2-for-2 on field goal attempts.
The Rockets controlled the pace in their victory, controlling the ball for 40:03 and holding Liberty to a time of possession of just 19:57.
First Quarter
Liberty got on the board first, taking advantage of a short field, moving 53 yards in five plays after stopping Toledo for an eight-yard loss on fourth-and-eight from the LU 39-yard line. Shedro Louis capped the Flames' drive with a nine-yard run. On Toledo's next possession, Dequan Finn was helped off the field after a sack with an apparent injury.
Second Quarter
Tucker Gleason stepped in for Finn on Toledo's first possession of the second quarter and led the Rockets' on a 10-play, 68-yard drive that led to a 41-yard field goal by Thomas Cluckey, trimming the Liberty lead to 7-3. Finn returned to the game on Toledo's next drive but the Rockets' drive was stopped on the LU 38-yard line, forcing a UT punt. Finn moved the Rockets down to the LU 31-yard line in the waning seconds of the half but the drive ended when Finn's third-down pass to Jacquez Stuart lost six yards, forcing Toledo to punt with 17 seconds left.
Third Quarter
Toledo took the second-half kickoff and marched 75 yards in 13 plays to take a 10-7 lead. The drive, which
ate up 6:15 on the clock, culminated with a four-yard TD catch by redshirt freshman tight end Lenny Kuhl. Toledo's defense then came up with a big play when Nate Givhan forced a fumble that was recovered by Jamal Hines on the LU eight-yard line. Liberty's defense forced Toledo to settle for a Thomas Cluckey 29-yard field goal, increasing the Rockets' lead to 13-7. Liberty missed an opportunity to trim the lead following a Toledo fumbled punt that the Flames recovered on the UT nine-yard line. The Rockets forced Liberty to settle for a 32-yard field goal, which sailed wide left.
Fourth Quarter
Toledo made it 21-7 on a one-yard dive by Finn that capped a 16-play, 80-yard drive with 10:35 to play. Finn hit Jacquez Stuart with a shovel pass for the two-point conversion on the play. Liberty cut the lead to 21-13 on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 7:24 left. The missed extra point by the Flames kept Toledo's cushion at eight points. Liberty nearly tied the game with some trickery on its next drive, scoring on a 67-yard wide receiver pass to make it 21-19. The ensuing two-point conversion attempt was no good, keeping the Rockets' lead at two points with 3:40 to play. Quinyon Mitchell fittingly broke up the Flames' two-point attempt to keep UT ahead. Stuart rushed for 53 of his 111 yards on the final drive to run out the clock and seal the win.
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