Two head coaches with at least 10 years of service at their current programs. Two perennial MAC championship contenders, responsible for four of the conference’s last eight titles. When Toledo and Miami (OH) meet, you can usually guarantee conference championship stakes will be on the line, and they certainly were in Wednesday night’s bout in Oxford, OH.
Toledo struggled on the road all year, finishing 0-4 in its first four contests away from the Glass Bowl. But the Rockets’ vaunted defense — second
in the FBS in fewest yards allowed — traveled across the state to Miami’s nest, dominating the RedHawks in 24-3 fashion.
Entering the contest, one significant storyline was Miami starting quarterback Dequan Finn facing his former school for the first time. Finn suited up for Toledo from 2019-23 and won a MAC title and a MAC MVP award wearing Rockets’ colors. However, Finn was a late scratch for undisclosed reasons, thrusting backup Henry Hesson into the lineup for Miami.
The RedHawks never reached the end zone against Toledo as the Rockets showed assertiveness in every facet of the game. Miami attained just 75 rushing yards on a 2.3 average and finished 11-of-38 in the passing game with 147 yards and three interceptions. The RedHawks also failed four different fourth down tries, as Toledo set the tone with a momentum-generating stop on the first possession.
Toledo’s star defensive backfield lived up to its hype. Nasir Bowers, Braden Awls, and Avery Smith all recorded an interception, while free safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren nearly hung onto one in the fourth quarter. Led by Smith’s two breakups, Toledo deflected six passes in total. The Rockets’ combined interception/deflection total of nine was only two short of Miami’s completion total of 11. On top of flying around in the secondary, Toledo also generated six sacks as the RedHawks’ offense couldn’t find a single solution in its home stadium.
Toledo’s offense was off to a slow start as Tucker Gleason tossed interceptions on each of the first two drives. Safety Eli Coppess tiptoed in the end zone to grab a throwaway on the Rockets’ opening series, then another Eli — Eli Blakey — picked off Gleason on the following possession. Toledo’s offense finally woke up in the second quarter after stuffing the RedHawks on 4th and 1 from the Miami 46. The Rockets capitalized on the short field as Chip Trayanum ran in a touchdown for his seventh-consecutive game.
The turning point occurred right before halftime when Miami punted away in the waning seconds. Bryson Hammer navigated his way for a 54-yard return into the red zone, which was further assisted by a sideline interference penalty on the RedHawks’ coaching staff. Once again, the offense benefited from a short field as Gleason found tight end Jacob Petersen in the end zone to a cap a 1-play, 6-yard drive, making the score 14-0.
Toledo finally drove the length of the field to open the third quarter on a 7-play, 79-yard offensive drive. Gleason delivered a 24-yard touchdown strike to freshman Ryder Treadway, who set career-highs in receptions (4) and yards (55) in the victory — leading the team in the latter category. The MAC contenders then traded field goals at the end of the quarter as Miami prevented getting shut out for the second time this season.
Miami (5-5, 4-2 MAC) has been on a roller coaster season, starting 0-3, winning five-straight, and now losing two-consecutive midweek games to revert to .500. The RedHawks only lost two MAC games in the 2023 and 2024 regular seasons combined, and they currently ride their first 2-game conference losing skid since October 2022. If the cards unfold in the right manner, Miami can still bounce back for a third-straight MAC Championship Game appearance as Buffalo and Ball State loom on its schedule.
Toledo (6-4, 4-2 MAC) held a MAC opponent to exactly three points for the third time this season. The Rockets are bowl eligible for the 16th-straight season, which is the sixth longest active streak in the FBS; only trailing Georgia, Boise State, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Alabama. Toledo remains in the hunt for its first MAC title since 2022 with Ball State and Central Michigan as its remaining November opponents.
