2011 games of the year: Toledo versus Air Force

Toledo 42, Air Force 41

A game that saw the teams combine for 83 points and 748 yards could only finish on the last play of the game. Toledo stopped Air Force on a fake kick 2-point attempt with :52 left in the game giving the Rockets a 42-41 win in the Military Bowl.

Toledo received the opening kickoff and went 45 yards to the Air Force 29-yard line before attempting a 47-yard field goal. That kick was no good leaving the game tied at 0 with 11:08 left in the first half. Air Force was unable to move the ball giving Toledo the ball back at their own 47-yard line still tied at 0.

In Toledo's second possession, the Rocket offense moved on a 7-play, 53-yard drive that was completed with Terrance Owens 17-yard touchdown pass to Bernard Reedy to give Toledo a 7-0 lead with 6:32 left in the first. Air Force then saw Cody Getz fumble the kickoff giving the ball back to Toledo at the Air Force 41-yard line. One play later, Toledo was celebrating Adonis Thomas' 41-yard touchdown run that extended the lead to 14-0 with only 8:45 played in the game.

Air Force was able to pick themselves up and go on a 64-yard drive that saw Tim Jefferson Jr. score on a 22-yard carry that cut the lead to 14-7 in favor of the Rockets. Eric Page then took to ensuing kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown extending the lead back to 14 points at 21-7 with 2:10 left in the first quarter. Not to be outdone, Air Force went 63 yards in 3 plays capped by Mike DeWitt's 3-yard touchdown run to cut the lead by the 7-points at 21-14 with 1:33 left in the first.

The Falcons then tried a risky on-side kick that was unsuccessful giving the ball to Toledo at the 50-yard line. The Air Force defense finally stepped up and forced a 3-and-out from the Rockets with the punt landing at the Air Force 21-yard line to start the second quarter.

The Falcons went on a 12-play, 79-yard drive that Asher Clark ended with a 1-yard touchdown run that tied the game up at 21 with 9:38 left in the half. Not even two minutes later, Owens found Reedy for a 48-yard touchdown pass that game the Rockets the lead again at 28-21. Air Force then got great fiedl position on an ill-advised on-side kick attempt that went out of bounds. The Falcons moved the ball to the Toledo 25-yard line before coming up short on a 4th-down run giving the ball back to Toledo.

Two plays later, Owens again found Reedy on a pass but Reedy fumbled the ball giving it back to Air Force at the Toledo 44-yard line with 4:00 left in the half. The Falcons went 44 yards in 4 plays with Jefferson hitting Jonathan Warzeka for a 37-yard touchdown pass to again tie the game, this time at 28, with 2:01 left in the half. Neither team was able to score again in the first half with the game tied 28-28 at halftime.

Both teams struggled in their opening drive of the second half with back to back punts and Air Force ending up with the ball on their own 12-yard line. Jefferson then passed a ball to the 37-yard line that was picked off by Jermaine Robinson and returned for a touchdown giving Toledo the lead again at 35-28. The Falcons responded with a 7-play, 50-yard drive that tied the game up again with DeWitt's second touchdown run of the game.

Both teams traded possessions to end the third quarter with Owens throwing an interception and Air Force punting the ball and giving the ball to Toledo at their own 25-yard line to start the 4th quarter.

Both teams traded punts twice before Toledo getting the ball back at the Air Force 37-yard line following a poor punt. Owens hit Reedy again for a touchdown pass, this time for 33-yards, to give the Rockets the lead again with only 4:55 left in the game.

The Falcons went on a 12-play, 78-yard drive that saw the Falcons score a touchdown with only :52 left in the game and down one-point pending the extra point attempt. Following Zack Kauth's 33-yard touchdown catch, the Falcons lined up to take the game-tying kick but instead tried a fake kick that ended up being fumbled out of bound and leaving Toledo with a one-point lead with :52 left in the game. Air Force attempted another on-side kick that Toledo was able to recover. Air Force could not stop Thomas and Toledo was able to run out the clock giving the Rockets a 42-41 win in the Military Bowl.