Rockets survive overtime thriller with 20-19 win over Western Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The majority of the Rockets’ highlights in their 20-19 victory at Western Michigan Saturday night happened during the last drive of regulation and beyond.

Sophomore quarterback Logan Woodside marched Toledo 55-yards down the field in the last drive of regulation. Senior placekicker Jeremiah Detmer nailed a field goal to send UT into overtime against the Broncos, and Woodside then capped off his night with a touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Alonzo Russell, giving the Rockets their first and only lead of the night.

It was an ugly win, but it was still a Mid-American Conference road win, and UT (4-2, 3-0 in MAC) head coach Matt Campbell says that’s all that matters in the end.

“It was one of those games where obviously there were times where we just didn’t execute well, especially on the offensive side of the football.” Campbell said. “It’s one of those nights where you just got to keep battling.

“It’s the weather, it’s everything going on, you just got to keep battling.”

The few Broncos’ (2-3, 0-1 in MAC) fans that did brave a driving rain to attend the frigid game had to wait a long time for anything to cheer about, and any Rockets’ fans in attendance had to wait even longer.

WMU’s loyal stayed relatively quiet until 10:44 left in the second quarter, when freshman running back Jarvion Franklin put the first points on the board with a two-yard touchdown run.

Franklin came into tonight’s matchup leading the MAC in rushing. He finished the night with 64 yards and one touchdown on the ground, with another 18 yards through the air.

“[Franklin’s] a talented kid, especially at his age,” said junior defensive end Trent Voss. “I feel like up front though we stopped the run game tremendously. They had a few deep balls and things like that, but as a front seven I couldn’t be more proud of our guys.”

UT remained scoreless heading into their locker room. Toledo’s offense seemed stuck in neutral for most of the night, an issue made worse by the adverse weather conditions.

“I haven’t played in a ton of games where I’ve been real wet like this,” Woodside said. “The rain is constantly coming and there was never really a dry ball.”

Woodside struggled with turnovers, throwing an interception during a drive earned when Voss blocked a WMU field goal attempt late in the first half.

Toledo’s signal caller finished 13-of-27 for 210 yards and one touchdown. He added another 15 yards rushing, but admitted after the game that ball security must be an area he and the team improve in moving forward.

“Tonight it was hard to even grip the ball to get a throw off,” Woodside said. “Ball security, especially in this type of weather, we really got to work on that during the week.”

Toledo’s offense woke from hibernation during the first drive of the second half, but they still failed to find the end zone. The Rockets leaned on freshman running back Terry Swanson to power them down the field, and senior placekicker Jeremiah Detmer put UT on the board with a field goal.

UT’s defense forced a Western Michigan punt during the Broncos’ first drive of the second half, but Woodside fumbled a snap on WMU’s four-yard line and Western Michigan recovered. The Broncos capitalized on the turnover with a field goal, bringing their lead to 10-3 over the Rockets.

Toledo tied things up with their first touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter, with Swanson powering the ball in from two yards out for the score. He finished the night with 174 yards rushing, 54 yards receiving and the one score.

“I certainly feel like Terry is giving us a chance to be successful in the running game,” Campbell said. “He’s played really well, he’s got great explosion and he’s got great vision.“

The Broncos put another two field goals on the board, forcing the Rockets to drive down the field and bring Detmer out to kick the game into overtime with a 37-yard field goal of his own.

“We’ve done that a hundred times over the last four years, at least,” Detmer said of the pressure kick. “Same kicks every time.”

Toledo opened overtime with the ball, and Woodside found Russell for the 22-yard touchdown on third and seven. The catch was Russell’s fourth of the game, and he finished with a mere 43 yards passing, but with the score that counted the most.

“They were rolling safeties to my side all day,” Russell said. “I just sized it up and made the appropriate move.”

Western Michigan responded with a touchdown of their own, a 20-yard pass from junior quarterback Zach Terrell to sophomore wide receiver Darius Phillips.

A missed extra point sent the Broncos to the locker room with their heads hung, and the Rockets to their busses grinning ear to ear.

“Game like that, weather like that, to end like that, I’m happy, that’s all I can say,” Voss said. “We got the victory.”

Toledo stays on the road next week for a matchup at Iowa State. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. next Saturday.