Page 174 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

HISTORY 175

Bowl History

2001 Motor City Bowl Toledo 23, Cincinnati 16

Chester Taylor ran for a Motor City Bowl-record 190 yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 24-yard run with3:23 left asToledodefeatedCincin-nati, 23-16. But it was a big play by the defense that clinched the victory for Toledo.

Cincinnati drove to theUTfve-yard line, but couldn’t convert on fourth-

and-4 with 50 seconds left. Cincinnati’s Ray Jackson bobbled a deflected pass in a crowded end zone, and senior free safety Andy Boyd then wrestled Jackson—and the ball—to the ground to seal the victory for Toledo.

Quarterback Tavares Bolden was 14-of-28 for 135 yards, but it was his legs that helped Toledo the most. He ran for 41 yards on a draw on the frst play of the second half that led to a UT feld goal. He tied the game late in the third quarter when he sprinted 28 yards untouched for a touchdown. For the game, Bolden ran for 99 yards, which helped the Rockets set a Motor City Bowl record with 322 yards rushing. The victory culminated a dream season for the Rockets and frst-year head coach Tom Amstutz.

“I was born on Scottwood Avenue in downtown Toledo, grewup inToledo, went to school at UT, was an assistant coach there for many years,”Amstutz said.“This is a dreamcome true. Words can’t express how I feel. This isn’t just my team, it’s what I love. It’s a privilege for me to be the head coach.”

2002 Motor City Bowl Boston College 51, Toledo 25

Boston College scored on its frst six possessions on its way to a 42-18 halftime lead, effectively putting the game away and preventing the Rockets from defending their Motor City Bowl title. Toledo cut the Eagles’ advantage

to 21-10 when Trinity Dawson scored on a two-yard run with 10:47 remaining in the frst half but UT never got any closer. Down 28-10 with less than six minutes to go in the frst half, Toledo gambled, going for it on a fourth-and-1 from its own 40, but Jones’ pass fell incomplete. Boston College took possession, and on the next play, Grant Adams caught St. Pierre’s pass across the middle, eluded a defender and raced into the end zone for a 35-10 lead. A one-yard TD run by Bran-don Brokaw with 1:31 to go in the half made it 42-10. Jones, the nation’s percentage completion leader, con-nected on 27-41 passes for 331 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Wide receiver Carl Ford had a career-high 10 receptions for 112 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds to go in the second quarter. Fellow senior Donta’ Greene added four catches for 63 yards.

2004 Motor City Bowl UConn 39, Toledo 10

Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was game. Unfortunately, his broken right handwas not. Gradkowski, whobrokehis throwinghandintheMACChampionship Game, tried toplay in theMotor CityBowl but was inefective and clearly in pain. As a result, the Rockets’ ofense stalled, and Connecticut had its way with Toledo, 39-

10.Gradkowskifnished6-of-12for43yardsbeforebeingreplaced by Marques Council. By the time Council got in the game to start the second half, UConn was up, 30-7. Council set career highs in attempts (28), completions (16) and passing yards (160). Toledo entered the game as the favorites, but without a healthy Gradkowski it was no contest. UConn scored on six of its frst seven possessions as the Rockets were held to a season-low 10 points.

Gradkowski wasn’t the only Rocket to go down, as the UT training staf was kept busy throughout the entire game. Senior All-MAC free safety Patrick Bodybrokehis right arm in the second half. LanceMoore,Toledo’sall-time leadingreceiver, left thegame in the secondhalfwithadislocated shoulder. Senior center David Odenthal sufered a sprained left ankle in the frst half, returned briefy, then sat out most of the second half.

Trinity Dawson started in place of the injured Scooter Mc-Dougle and fnished with 78 yards on 19 carries.

2005 GMAC Bowl Toledo 45, UTEP 13

Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski ended his storied collegiate career with an exclamation point, throwing fve touchdown passes to lead Toledo to a convincing 45-13 win over UTEP. Fellow senior and roommate Trinity Dawson ran for 132 yards.

Toledo’sdefenseshutdownUTEP’sofenseat almostevery turn. Linebacker Mike Alston contributed two big tackles for the Rockets to end the frst half, when UTEPwas threatening to cut into a 28-13 defcit. It was the last time theMiners appeared set to mount a rally.

Gradkowski,whocompleted18-of-32passes for298yards, was chosen as the game’s MVP while Dawson (ofense), Alston (defensive) and Steve Odom (special teams) also won game honors. After thegame, Gradkowski summedup the sentiment of the team.

“It’s been an honor to be here this week,”said Gradkowski. “Wewere treatedunbelievablyby the cityofMobile.The south-ern hospitality has been awesome. We’ve never experienced anythinglikethis.WewantedtogivebacktoMobilebyperform-ing the way we did. I hope we satisfed the fans out there. “It’s been a pleasure. What a way to go out. This is our championship. We are GMAC Bowl Champions.”