Toledo 29, Cincinnati 23
TOLEDO, Ohio -- Bernard Reedy's 91-yard kickoff return put Toledo back in front, and the Rockets held on from there for a 29-23 victory over Cincinnati (ranked No. 18 USA Today Coaches/No. 21 AP coming into the game) Saturday night at the Glass Bowl.
It was Toledo's first win over a ranked opponent since 2004 and its sixth victory over a BCS opponent in the last seven years.
Cincinnati grabbed its first lead of the contest at the 2:08 mark of the third quarter when Munchie Legaux heaved a ball up for grabs to the corner of the end zone, and Damon Julian came down with it between two defenders for a 25-yard TD reception.
But Toledo had an answer on the ensuing kickoff when Reedy scampered down the middle of the field for a 91-yard return - his third special teams touchdown in as many weeks -- putting the Rockets back in front 26-20.
Cincinnati cut into Toledo's lead with Tony Miliano's third field goal, a 41-yarder with 11:30 remaining that made it 26-23. That would be it for the Bearcats, though, whose defense could not get a much-needed stop down the stretch.
Detmer punctuated the victory with a 25-yard field goal - his fifth of the contest - with 42 seconds left, and Jordan Haden sealed it with an interception on Legaux's deep ball with 12 seconds remaining.
Toledo cashed in on a key offensive miscue by 18th-ranked Cincinnati to jump out to a 13-0 first quarter advantage and led 16-13 over the Bearcats at halftime Saturday night at the Glass Bowl.
Legaux hit Toledo safety Jermaine Robinson in the numbers on an errant throw to the near sideline midway through the first quarter, and Robinson returned it for a 75-yard touchdown to put the Rockets ahead 10-0 at the 7:50 mark of the first quarter.
Legaux made up for the error with a 2-yard touchdown run with 11:34 left in the second quarter, and Tony Miliano added a pair of field goals from 40 and 37 yards for the Bearcats.
Jeremiah Detmer connected on field goals of 43, 42 and 47 for the Rockets in the first half.
NOTES: Cincinnati defensive end Walter Stewart did not play due to an "undisclosed upper body injury" suffered in last week's 49-17 win over Fordham. Stewart leads the Bearcats and is third in the Big East with five sacks. ... This was the first meeting between the two schools in more than a decade. Toledo claimed a 23-16 victory over Cincinnati in the 2001 Motor City Bowl. ... The Bearcats are the third-highest ranked team to face Toledo on its home field. The Rockets faced then-No. 4 Boise State last season and squared off with then-No. 9 Pittsburgh in 2003.
