A football game during the work week in Detroit, Michigan was only destined for chaos. In a game that was about as MACtion as MACtion can be, the GameAbove Sports Bowl was everything and more between Toledo and Pitt. The bowl changed its name this offseason and ended up having the game of the bowl season. The back-and-forth game featured eight lead changes and seven game-tying scores.
With the win, Toledo head coach Jason Candle tied Gary Pinkel for the most wins in program history with 73. Candle attained the honor in one less season despite the fact both coached 113 games. Candle moves to 3-5 in bowl games while Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi moves to 2-5 in bowls.
Toledo Wins Instant Classic Over Pitt in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, 48-46
Scoring in Three Phases
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the GameAbove Sports Bowl aside from the 94 combined points and nearly five hours of real-time passing was how the scoring was done. Toledo kicked off the game with a methodical eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by an Anthony Torres touchdown catch. However, on the ensuing point after, Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis broke through, blocked the kick, recovered the bounce, and returned it for a two-point defensive PAT conversion.
The Panthers and Rockets traded punts before Pitt found its way into the endzone. Desmond Reid paid off an 11-play, 79-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Reid was Pitt’s do-everything player in this one. When it was all said and done, despite battling nagging hamstring issues and camps, Reid finished with 180 scrimmage yards (165 rushing) off 37 touches (32 rushing attempts) and one touchdown.
After that initial touchdown, the Rockets’ offense misfired on the next three drives with two ending in three-and-outs. Then, the tide turned. While down 12-6, Toledo punched it in to take the lead off an incredible 67-yard touchdown by Junior Vandeross III. Vandeross had a career day, hauling in 12 passes for 194 yards and a score. In the very next play, Braden Awls jumped in front of a pass and returned it 42 yards for a pick-six.
That wasn’t the only defensive score on the day. Later, after a turnover on downs, a lost fumble, interception, and punt on the first four Toledo drives of the second half allowed Pitt to build a 10-point lead, defensive lineman Darius Alexander snagged a pass and returned it 58 yards for a score. The momentum swing was enough to get the Rockets back in it as they kicked the game-tying field goal and prevented Pitt from getting into field goal range.
A Star is Born?
All kinds of narratives will come out of this game but the one that should prevail is that Julian Dugger can play. The true freshman made his first career appearance and made the most of it. To start off his game, he completed four of his first five passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns.
Narduzzi and his offensive staff did not fully trust him to throw the ball as he finished with just 13 attempts. That duty was passed off to the starter and former walk-on, David Lynch. Even then, Dugger completed seven of those passes for 72 yards and two scores.
Where he was most dangerous was on the ground. The freshman quarterback pulled it down 21 times for 88 yards and a score. He was elusive in the pocket and was a constant running threat that kept the Toledo defense on its heels. He had three rushes for at least 10 yards and was trusted in crucial situations to get the Panthers on top in overtime.
Eli Holstein will be the starter for the Panthers in 2025 but having a backup like Dugger both puts the pressure on Holstein to perform and gives fans and coaches peace of mind that the next-man-up is capable.
Six Overtimes!
Just like with the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and the Hawai’i Bowl, the GameAbove Sports Bowl could not be decided in 60 minutes.
Toledo won the toss to kick off overtime and chose to play defense first. Pitt’s drive started off rocky before Dugger put the team on his back with a nine-yard run on third and eight. On the next play, he found Reid for 11 yards for another first down. After going back to Reid on the ground, Dugger punched it in to put the Panthers back on top.
Toledo had to fight for its score as well. The first down resulted in a sack. The second down was an impressive scramble to get a third-and-short. After an incomplete pass, the Rockets had to convert on fourth down to stay alive. Tucker Gleason found star receiver Jerjuan Newton wide-open for the first. The Rockets then paid it off after another first down to Vandeross with a one-yard Gleason run.
In the second overtime, Toledo’s offense sputtered and had to settle for a field goal. Here’s where the fun begins. Pitt dug itself into a first-and-long only to get the yardage back for a third-and-one. A 13-yard run later, the Panthers were sitting pretty with first and goal from the three. Toledo stuffed the run on first down. Pitt gets two yards on second down. The Panthers get cute and try a trick play that nearly worked but the ball sailed just high of a wide-open receiver. Much to the chagrin of those watching (and Dustin Fox in the pressbox), Narduzzi kicked the field goal.
In the third overtime, both teams scored relatively easily.
In the fourth overtime, it got squirrely. Toledo scored with an easy pass to Torres. On Pitt’s try, Dugger was sacked but was bailed out by a defensive holding. Then, Dugger appeared to be short of the goal line from the one, and the Toledo sideline erupted in celebration. After review, the freshman extended the ball before going down, prolonging the game.
In the fifth overtime, Pitt converted easily. Toledo had to have a little magic from Gleason to find Newton for the conversion.
It was the sixth overtime. Vandeross fought for the ball on Toledo’s conversion. Then, Toledo sent the house for Pitt’s attempt, and Dugger’s pass to the endzone fell short, ending the game.
The game of the bowl season was about as chaotic as your run-of-the-mill #MACtion matchup.
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