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EMU defenders Marcus English and Willie Williams harness Toledo quarterback Austin Dantin, who left the game with an injury in the first quarter. His replacement, Terrance Owens (below) threw four TD passes in a 42-7 Rockets win. Bottom left, Alex Gillett looks to pass. Photos by Nate Thompson.

The victory keeps Toledo (6-3, 5-0 MAC) in a tie for first place in the MAC West Division with Northern Illinois (7-2, 5-0 MAC), setting up a showdown in DeKalb on Nov. 9.

Toledo held a slim 15-7 halftime lead but put the game away with four consecutive touchdowns in the second half. Of Owens' four TD passes, three of them were over 50 yards (74, 68 and 53).


Toledo's defense was stingy, too, especially when it counted. The Eagles gained 326 total yards of offense, including just 100 yards on the ground. The Rockets also intercepted two passes and had four sacks. EMU's only score came on a four-yard scoring drive following a turnover. Seven points was the fewest allowed by the UT defense since a 41-7 win over McNeese State in 2006.

Dantin came out of the game in the first quarter, suffering an apparent shoulder injury on a hit sustained following a short run up the middle.  His status for next week is not known, head coach Tim Beckman said after the game.

On the very next play, Owens connected with junior tight end Danny Noble over the middle and Noble rambled 74 yards for the score. It was the longest pass play for the Rockets since 2004. David Pasquale ran it in for two points to put UT up, 8-0.

 “Austin and TO take about the same amount of reps. We’ve got confidence in TO just as much as we do Austin, so we really didn’t miss a beat,” Noble said. “You’ve probably got to get used to the left-handed and the right-handed quarterback, but besides that, everything is about the same.”

The Eagles took advantage of a Toledo miscue in the second quarter to cut the lead to a single point. Eric Page attempted to field a punt inside the UT 10-yard line but could not corral the ball. EMU recovered on the four-yard line, punching in the score two plays later on a one-yard TD run by Corey Welch.

Toledo came back to score on its last drive of the first half, a 12-play, 59-yard drive that culminated on a six-yard TD pass from Owens to Noble to make the score 15-7 at halftime.

After the break, it was all Toledo. On the Rockets' second drive of the third quarter, Owens hit junior running back Adonis Thomas for a short completion and Thomas took it to the house for a 68-yard score.

Sophomore safety Jermaine Robinson then came up with his first career interception. Two plays later, Owens hit Page over the middle for a 53-yard score, making it 29-7 Rockets.

On Toledo first possession in the fourth quarter, sophomore quarterback David Pasquale caught a five-yard TD pass from Page on a trick play. Pasquale had a 55-yard run on the drive as well.

UT finished off the scoring when senior Dey'Lon Press intercepted as pass at the EMU 24-yard line and returned it 21 yards to the three. Reserve QB Alex Pettee ran it in from four yards to complete the scoring.

The Rockets will be off next Saturday in preparation for the big game at Northern Illinois on Tuesday, Nov. 9 (ESPN2). “This MAC conference is what its all about,” UT head coach Tim Beckman said. “We’re in a position to have a heck of a football game,”

Eastern Michigan travels to Kalamazoo for a matchup with Western Michigan Saturday, Nov. 13 (2 p.m. ET).

Courtesy of Toledo Athletics