Toledo beats Pittsburgh in bowl-record six overtimes

DETROIT — Tucker Gleason ran for one extra time 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 Area 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 occasions as we speak, however we’re so pleased with this crew,” Toledo coach Jason Candle mentioned.

“To hold in there and to maintain combating like we did as we speak, we have been in a position to sustain with the emotional swings over the course of the sport. It was a sloppy sport at occasions, however I’m pleased with our response. In the present day’s sport was finally outlined by who made the final play and who threw the final punch.”

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

This is also the primary season with a number of video games to go to not less than six overtimes, after Georgia beat Georgia Tech 44-42 in eight overtimes final month. Toledo’s final multi-OT sport was a win in double extra time in opposition to Iowa State in September 2015.

Pitt freshman Julian Dugger, making his faculty debut, ran for 2 extra time scores and threw for 2 extra, however his incomplete move within the sixth extra time ended the sport. The Panthers, who began the season 7-0, grew to become 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 sport.

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

Dugger was sacked, apparently ending the sport, however the Rockets have been referred to as for holding. Dugger was dominated brief on a sneak try, sending Toledo dashing onto the sector for a second time, however replay confirmed he crossed the airplane.

Within the fifth extra time, Dugger made it 46-44 with a scoring move to Gavin Bartholomew, however Gleason tied it along with his fifth scoring move 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 mentioned. “After we bought 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 sport 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 bought 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 move 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 move to Junior Vandeross III put the Rockets up 13-12 halfway by way of the second quarter.

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

ESPN Analysis and The Related Press contributed to this report.