Toledo beats Pittsburgh in bowl-record six overtimes

DETROIT — Tucker Gleason ran for one time beyond regulation rating and threw for 4 extra as Toledo beat Pittsburgh 48-46 in a bowl-record six overtimes on the GameAbove Sports activities Bowl at Ford Subject on Thursday.

The sport surpassed the earlier mark set 48 hours earlier when South Florida beat San Jose State 41-39 in 5 overtimes within the Hawai’i Bowl on Tuesday.

“It felt like we needed to win the sport three or 4 instances at the moment, however we’re so happy with this crew,” Toledo coach Jason Candle stated.

“To hold in there and to maintain preventing like we did at the moment, we had been capable of sustain with the emotional swings over the course of the sport. It was a sloppy recreation at instances, however I’m happy with our response. At this time’s recreation was in the end outlined by who made the final play and who threw the final punch.”

That is the third bowl recreation to go to a number of overtimes this season, already probably the most in a bowl season since OT was established in 1996. Northern Illinois beat Fresno State 28-20 in double time beyond regulation within the Well-known Idaho Potato Bowl on Monday. There had by no means been a bowl recreation to go to 4 overtimes earlier than this week.

This is also the primary season with a number of video games to go to no less than six overtimes, after Georgia beat Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes final month. Toledo’s final multi-OT recreation was a win in double time beyond regulation towards Iowa State in September 2015.

Pitt freshman Julian Dugger, making his school debut, ran for 2 time beyond regulation scores and threw for 2 extra, however his incomplete cross within the sixth time beyond regulation ended the sport. The Panthers, who began the season 7-0, turned simply the second crew in FBS historical past to finish a season on a shedding streak of six or extra video games, together with a bowl recreation.

After Gleason and Dugger traded speeding touchdowns within the first time beyond regulation, every crew obtained a subject aim within the second. Every threw 2-point passes within the third time beyond regulation, and Gleason obtained one other within the fourth to make it 44-42.

Dugger was sacked, apparently ending the sport, however the Rockets had been known as for holding. Dugger was dominated brief on a sneak try, sending Toledo speeding onto the sphere for a second time, however replay confirmed he crossed the aircraft.

Within the fifth time beyond regulation, Dugger made it 46-44 with a scoring cross to Gavin Bartholomew, however Gleason tied it together with his fifth scoring cross of the sport. The sixth put Toledo again in entrance, and Dugger was pressured into a foul throw to finish the sport.

“We did not make the second larger than it was,” Gleason stated. “After we obtained to the later overtimes, it was one play to finish the season. That is what our mindset was. We simply went on the market and had enjoyable.”

The Panthers performed with out beginning quarterback Eli Holstein (leg) and backup Nate Yarnell (switch portal). David Lynch, a redshirt freshman walk-on, began his first recreation however was pulled within the third quarter after throwing two interceptions.

Dugger led the Panthers to 2 touchdowns and a subject aim on his first three drives, turning a 20-12 deficit right into a 30-20 lead.

Nonetheless, Toledo obtained its second pick-six of the sport when Darius Alexander returned Dugger’s interception 58 yards for a landing. The additional level made it 30-27 with 7:49 left, and the Rockets kicked a tying subject aim with 1:45 to play.

Toledo began shortly, driving for a Gleason landing cross on the sport’s opening drive, however Kyle Louis blocked the additional level try and returned it for Pitt’s first defensive 2-point conversion since 1990.

Desmond Reid’s 3-yard run and Ben Sauls’ 57-yard subject aim gave Pittsburgh a 12-6 lead, however Gleason’s 67-yard landing cross to Junior Vandeross III put the Rockets up 13-12 halfway by the second quarter.

On the following play from scrimmage, Braden Awls picked off Lynch’s cross and returned it 42 yards for a landing and a 20-12 halftime lead.

ESPN Analysis and The Related Press contributed to this report.