Toledo football rolled past San Diego State to improve to 3-1 and head into MAC play with momentum.
The Toledo Rockets made a statement with a 41-16 win over the San Diego State Aztecs in the non-conference finale at the Glass Bowl on Saturday. Toledo improved to 3-1 and capped off the non-conference schedule with a third straight win.
It was a dominant performance for the Rockets, who turned an early 3-0 deficit into a 34-3 lead late in the third quarter. Toledo eventually coasted to a ninth consecutive win at home and will now head into MAC play with a ton of momentum.
San Diego State scored on the opening drive to take a 3-0 lead, but the Rockets instantly responded as quarterback John Alan Richter connected with wide receiver Adjatay Dabbs for a 19-yard touchdown to go up 7-3 in the opening quarter.
In the final minutes of the first half, Toledo extended the lead as Richter found wide receiver Bryson Hammer streaking down the field for a 78-yard touchdown. Toledo held a 17-3 lead at halftime after scoring 17 straight points to end the half.
The Rockets were just getting started, though. San Diego State attempted an onside kick to open the second half, but Toledo recovered it, and on the next play, Richter went back to the well for a 38-yard touchdown to Hammer to go up 24-3.
Toledo’s offense got most of the attention for its explosive plays in the win, but the defense wasn’t too shabby either.
The Rockets pushed the lead to 34-3 after linebacker Isaac Zay snatched an interception and returned it for a 67-yard score.
Just for good measure, Toledo running back Connor Walendzak scored a touchdown for a fourth straight game to extend the lead to 41-9 in the fourth quarter, essentially putting the final touches on a convincing win over a Pac-12 foe.
The Rockets couldn’t have played much better, and it resulted in a 41-16 beatdown as Hammer recorded a career-high 133 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and six catches. Meanwhile, Richter posted 284 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, Michigan State transfer Armorion Smith led Toledo with a team-high 11 tackles and two pass deflections, while defensive end Andrew Zock added four tackles and one sack. Zay finished with eight tackles and one sack in the win.
Now, Toledo will hit the road for the first time in a month with a trip to face Ball State in the MAC opener on Saturday.
The Rockets are playing at a high level right now, but there’s still a long way to go as the focus shifts to MAC play this week.
