Nov 3, 2015; Toledo, OH, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Ryan Graham (17) throws the ball during the fourth quarter against the Toledo Rockets at Glass Bowl. Huskies win 32-27. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
TOLEDO, Ohio — Northern Illinois rallied from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit to upset No. 24 Toledo 32-27 Tuesday night at the Glass Bowl.
The Huskies defeated the Rockets for the sixth consecutive year and handed Toledo (7-1, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) its first loss of the season.
Running back Joel Bouagnon scored on a 2-yard rush that put Northern Illinois ahead by five with 1:59 left in the game. The winning drive was made possible when freshman quarterback Ryan Graham, filling in for injured junior Drew Hare, completed a 44-yard pass to wide receiver Kenny Golladay.
Rockets quarterback Phillip Ely threw an interception deep in Toledo territory to seal the victory for the Huskies (6-3, 4-1).
The Rockets had their 11-game winning streak snapped despite getting big rushing performances from running backs Kareem Hunt (25 carries, 140 yards, two touchdowns) and Terry Swanson (16 carries, 133 yards).
Graham finished 9-for-12 for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Hunt punched it in from the 1-yard line to cap a nine-play drive as the Rockets took a 24-16 lead with 4:23 left in the third quarter.
Huskies kicker Christian Hagan nailed a career long 52-yard field goal to make it 24-19 with 2:39 left in the third.
Jameson Vest answered with a 39-yard field goal as Toledo took a 27-19 lead with 13:45 left in the game.
After a leverage penalty on Toledo extended Northern Illinois’ drive, Golladay made a one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone, but a failed two-point conversion left the Huskies down 27-25 with 9:27 left.
The Rockets missed a chance to go up by five with 5:19 left when Vest missed a 47-yard field goal wide right with 5:19 left.
Toledo jumped out to a seven-point lead after a fast-paced first quarter, but Northern Illinois added two field goals in the second quarter to pull within 17-16 at halftime.
Ely (15-for-33, 136 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) connected with wide receiver Alonzo Russell for an 11-yard scoring pass to give the Rockets a 7-0 lead with 8:05 left in the first quarter. The strike capped a 12-play drive.
Northern Illinois took 28 seconds to answer the score as wide receiver Tommylee Lewis, who had 125 receiving yards in the opening quarter, hauled in a 67-yard pass from Hare to tie the score 7-7 at the 7:31 mark.
Hunt then scored on a 6-yard run for a 14-7 lead with 6:04 left in the quarter. Swanson, who ran five times for 101 yards in the quarter, set up the score with a 58-yard rushing play.
Toledo added a field goal by Vest to go up 17-7 at the 2:57 mark of the first quarter.
Hagan kicked a 36-yard field goal as the Huskies pulled within seven with 39 seconds left in the first. Hagan then added two more field goals in the second quarter, including a 29-yarder as time expired.
NOTES: Northern Illinois QB Drew Hare sustained a leg injury on a running play with about seven minutes left in the half. He did not return for the third quarter. … Toledo allowed a sack for the first time this season in the first quarter. … Huskies K Christian Hagan’s field goal was the first time the Rockets were scored on in the third quarter this season. … The attendance was 23,089.
