Toledo secured a 38-23 victory over Massachusetts as Tucker Gleason showcased his skills by throwing three touchdown passes during the game. In the first quarter, UMass struggled with four consecutive punts while Toledo had three quick possessions that resulted in no first downs. However, Gleason’s 18-yard rush on a critical third down set the tone for Toledo’s first touchdown, connecting with Jerjuan Newton for a 40-yard score to take a 7-0 lead.
Jacob Lurie’s 23-yard field goal helped UMass close the gap to 7-3 early in the second quarter, but Toledo responded with a 26-yard field goal by Dylan Cunanan. UMass then leveled the score at 10 with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Taisun Phommachanh to Jakobie Keeney-James. The tie was short-lived as Jacquez Stuart returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, giving Toledo a 17-10 advantage at halftime.
UMass managed to cut the deficit to one point with Lurie’s 30-yard field goal, but Toledo quickly regained control when Gleason connected with Junior Vandeross III for a 73-yard touchdown, extending their lead to 24-16. Willie Shaw III’s 4-yard touchdown run further increased Toledo’s lead to 31-16 with 12:30 remaining.
Phommachanh’s 8-yard rushing touchdown brought UMass within eight points late in the game, but their onside kick attempt failed. Toledo capitalized on the opportunity, with Gleason throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Torres to secure the win.
Gleason completed 8 of 23 passes for 175 yards, with Vandeross III leading Toledo’s receiving game with three catches for 115 yards. On the UMass side, Phommachanh went 26 for 40 for 259 yards with one interception, adding 44 yards on 22 rushing attempts.