Toledo Blanks UMass 24-0 to Grab a Share of First in the MAC as Central Michigan Runs Past Sacramento State

November football in the Mid-American Conference is a weeknight affair, and on Wednesday night Toledo made the most of its stage. The Rockets shut out UMass 24-0 at the Glass Bowl, improving to 8-2 overall and 5-1 in league play and pulling into a four-way tie for first place in the MAC with Buffalo, Ohio and Western Michigan with two weeks left in the regular season ^[1].

In Mount Pleasant, Mich., Central Michigan ran past Sacramento State 28-7, scoring a touchdown in every quarter to even its record at 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the conference ^[2].

Walendzak Sets the Tone, and the Defense Does the Rest

Toledo did not waste any time. Running back Connor Walendzak, back from an injury, broke a 69-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to cap a five-play, 90-yard drive, the second-longest run of his career behind a 71-yarder at Michigan State ^[1]. It was also Toledo's third 90-yard touchdown drive of the season, all of them in the last four games ^[1].

Reice Griffith added a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter, and then the defense put points on the board itself. Nicholas Thompson picked off a pass and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown, the only turnover of the game ^[1]. Late in the first half, quarterback John Alan Richter found Walendzak for a 17-yard scoring pass, and the Rockets took a 24-0 lead into the locker room ^[1]. Neither team scored again.

Walendzak finished with a career-high 117 rushing yards on 14 carries, plus three catches for 41 yards, and he now has 11 total touchdowns in eight games this season ^[1]. CJ Miller added 83 yards on 15 carries ^[1]. Richter completed 13 of 22 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown without an interception, and receiver Adjatay Dabbs had a season-high seven catches for 144 yards, his third 100-yard game of the year ^[1].

The real story, though, was the Toledo defense. UMass managed just 188 yards of total offense and 67 rushing yards on 28 carries, and eight of those running plays lost yardage ^[1]. The Minutemen converted only 3 of 15 third downs and 1 of 4 fourth-down tries ^[1]. Andrew Zock had two sacks, three tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries, tying his career high in sacks, while Julian Fox made eight tackles with a career-best three for loss ^[1]. Toledo piled up 10 tackles for loss in all, its second straight game in double digits ^[1].

Toledo outgained UMass 436 to 188 and held the ball for 34 minutes, 33 seconds ^[1]. The shutout gives the Rockets shutouts in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1992 and 1993 ^[1]. UMass fell to 5-5 overall and 2-4 in the MAC ^[1].

Central Michigan Keeps Pounding

Central Michigan's win came the old-fashioned way, on the ground. Nick Woodford ran for 119 yards and Jayden Clerveaux added 100 more as the Chippewas wore down Sacramento State ^[2]. CMU scored a touchdown in each of the four quarters, and Sacramento State's only score came in the second ^[2]. The Hornets fell to 2-9 overall and 1-7 in the league ^[2].

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The win was CMU's second straight and leaves the Chippewas one victory from bowl eligibility ^[2]. They play at Buffalo next Wednesday night, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, a game that now carries real weight for both teams ^[2].

A Wild Race to the Finish

Toledo's climb into a share of first place came one night after a stunner reshaped the top of the standings. On Tuesday, Miami (Ohio) rallied from 17 points down with 34 unanswered points to beat Ohio 34-17 in the Battle of the Bricks, handing the Bobcats their first MAC loss of the season and clinching bowl eligibility for the RedHawks, Saturday Down South reported ^[3]. That game also featured one of the strangest penalties of the year: after Ohio missed a field goal late in the first half, officials flagged Miami for unsportsmanlike conduct because its scoreboard showed a graphic of the goal posts, giving the Bobcats another try from 25 yards ^[3]. Ohio ran a fake instead, and a possible touchdown was dropped in the end zone ^[3].

What Comes Next

Toledo closes its home schedule against Bowling Green on Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Glass Bowl in the 91st Battle of I-75, which will air on ESPN2 ^[1]. With four teams tied at the top and only two weeks left, every snap of that rivalry game will matter.

There is something worth celebrating in nights like these. MACtion is not about television money or NIL war chests. It is about young men playing hard-nosed football in the cold, on a school night, for a conference crown and a little pride. Toledo's defense played that way Wednesday. With a four-way tie and a rivalry game next on the calendar, the Rockets have a real chance to play for a title.