DEKALB, Ill. – Toledo scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter as the Rockets earned a 41-24 victory over the NIU Huskies on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 5) at Huskie Stadium. Toledo recorded 610 yards of total offense, including 432 through the air, and held the ball for 20 minutes in the second half. 

"In the second half, we have to find a way to have some offense," said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. "(Toledo) didn't do anything differently, they blitzed us a little bit more, I thought our defense hung in there for a while. We need a couple more guys to step up and make plays, that's the bottom line and we have to keep finding ways to do that.

"Toledo has a good offense, they have good players, obviously their game plan was to throw the ball as much as they could throw it, but we have to defend better. We have to tighten up the coverage and minimize the gains in the passing game."

Freshman tailback Harrison Waylee (Johnston, Iowa/Urbandale) recorded his first collegiate 100-yard rushing game with 114 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Tyrice Richie (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor/Dodge City CC) had his third consecutive 100-yard receiving game, and fourth of the season, with 111 yards on seven catches with a touchdown. 

NIU (0-5, 0-5 MAC) and Toledo shared 48 points in an offensive first half that included 651 combined yards of total offense. 

After the Rockets scored a touchdown on their opening possession of the game, NIU answered right back as the Huskies needed just five plays to go 75 yards, finished by a 28-yard touchdown from Waylee, the first rushing score of his career. Senior quarterback Ross Bowers (Bothell, Wash./Bothell/California) connected with freshman receiver Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) for 36 yards on the big play on the drive. 

Bowers finished the contest 19-of-39 passing for 273 yards with two touchdowns. 

With Toledo knocking on the door, NIU forced the first turnover of the game as freshman Jordan Hansen (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) intercepted Toledo quarterback Carter Bradley on the Huskie eight-yard line. NIU converted the turnover into a touchdown to take a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Bowers found senior tight end Daniel Crawford (Macomb, Ill./Dakota) from five yards out to finish a 7-play, 78-yard drive. 

A one-yard touchdown run from Bryant Koback brought Toledo back even, 14-14, with 10:47 left in the second quarter. 

NIU went back in front just two minutes later as the Huskies benefitted from a short field following a 47-yard kick return by Rudolph. Bowers hooked up with Richie for a 26-yard score as the Huskies reclaimed the lead. 

Toledo (3-2, 3-2 MAC) scored the next 10 points to take a 24-21 lead as Bradley found Bryce Mitchell for a 44-yard touchdown before the Rockets converted a Huskie fumble into a 25-yard field goal with 1:45 left before halftime. 

Bradley was 29-of-44 passing in the game for 432 yards with three touchdowns. 

Just before halftime, sophomore John Richardson (Orland Park, Ill./Brother Rice) made a 29-yard field goal as the Huskies and Rockets were deadlocked at 24 at the half. 

Following a scoreless third quarter, Toledo went back in front courtesy of a 22-yard field goal from Thomas Cluckey, capping an 11-play, 51-yard drive, giving the Rockets a 27-24 lead with 11:31 left in the contest. 

On its next drive, Toledo added to its lead as Bradley found Ronnie Blackmon for a 15-yard touchdown to give the Rockets a 10-point lead with 4:48 remaining. Toledo would add another touchdown from Micah Kelly with just over two minutes left. 

Toledo had two receivers finish with over 100 yards receiving as Danzel McKinley-Lewis recorded six catches for 110 yards and Isaiah Winstead posted eight catches for 106 yards. 

Freshman safety Devin Lafayette (Brunswick, Ga./Brunswick) recorded a game-high 13 tackles along with an interception while sophomore cornerback Jordan Gandy (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb/South Dakota State) tallied 11 tackles.

NIU will close the 2020 season next Saturday, December 12, as the Huskies travel to Ypsilanti, Mich., to face Eastern Michigan. Kickoff against the Eagles is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT and will be available on ESPN3.