Long-distance touchdowns spark Toledo in 24-0 win over UMass

TOLEDO, Ohio -- — Connor Walendzak scored on a 69-yard touchdown run, Nicholas Thompson returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown, and Toledo defeated Massachusetts 24-0 on Wednesday night.

The Rockets (8-2, 5-1) remain in the pack at the top of the Mid-American Conference. Toledo, Western Michigan, Buffalo and Ohio are all 5-1 in the MAC.

Walendzak, in his first action this month after being out with an undisclosed injury, capped a 90-yard drive with his long touchdown run, giving Toledo a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. He finished with 117 yards on 14 carries.

Thompson's interception of a Logan Inagawa pass made it 17-0 early in the second quarter and Toledo went on to a 24-0 halftime lead that stood up through the second half.

CJ Miller added 83 yards rushing for the Rockets, who had a total of 239 yards on the ground.

John Alan Richter had 197 yards passing for Toledo.

Inagawa completed only 10 of 27 passes for 99 yards but he led the Minutemen (5-5, 2-4) with 40 yards rushing. Starter Pop Watson left after seeming to re-aggravate his ankle, which sidelined him for two games in October.

Toledo had a huge advantage in total yards, 436-188. On defense, the Rockets had three sacks and 10 tackles for loss.

Up next

UMass: vs. Akron next Wednesday.

Toledo: vs. Bowling Green on Nov. 20. ------

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