Rockets Blast Past No. 8 UTSA 56–14, Advance to Stateline Elite Championship

Kyle Craig, The Stateline Gazette

TOLEDO, Ohio — Tucker Gleason threw five touchdown passes and accounted for seven total scores as No. 4 Toledo overwhelmed No. 8 UTSA 56–14 on Sunday night in a Stateline Elite semifinal at the Glass Bowl.

Toledo (9–2) scored touchdowns on six of its first seven possessions and never trailed, building a 28–7 halftime lead before pulling away behind a dominant second half. The Rockets will face No. 3 San Diego State in the Stateline Elite Championship Game.

“This is who we are,” Toledo head coach Tyler Holjes said. “Fast, physical, explosive and relentless. But we haven’t finished the job yet.”

Gleason completed 24 of 28 passes for 318 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. He added two rushing touchdowns, giving him seven total scores in one of the most efficient postseason performances in conference history.

When UTSA (6–5) stacked the box early in an attempt to slow Toledo’s ground game, Gleason responded by carving up the secondary with precision throws to Junior Vandeross III and Eric Holley III.

“He was in complete command,” Holjes said. “He saw everything before it happened. That’s championship-level quarterback play.”

Toledo struck quickly in the first quarter with two touchdown drives before UTSA briefly answered on a 29-yard touchdown reception by DJ Allen. The Rockets led 14–7 after one quarter.

The second quarter turned into a showcase for Gleason. He threw two more touchdown passes — including one to Vandeross and another to Holley — while Toledo’s defense tightened, holding UTSA scoreless the rest of the half. The Rockets carried a 28–7 advantage into the locker room.

UTSA showed a brief spark in the third quarter when Robert Henry Jr. powered in for a rushing touchdown to trim the deficit to 28–14. But any hope of a comeback evaporated quickly.

Quarterback Owen McCown was intercepted four times, with Toledo converting turnovers into points to extend the lead to 42–14 by the end of the third quarter. The Rockets added two more touchdowns in the fourth to complete the rout.

“We got beat in every phase,” UTSA head coach Mark Hammerstone said. “Toledo outplayed us, out-executed us. That’s on me.”

Chip Trayanum rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and added six receptions for 63 yards and a score for Toledo. Vandeross finished with 10 catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns, while Holley caught six passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.

McCown threw for 255 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted four times. David Amador II led UTSA with 111 receiving yards.

With the victory, Toledo advances to the Stateline Elite Championship Game for a marquee showdown with San Diego State, featuring two of the conference’s most explosive offenses.

“We’re excited,” Gleason said. “But we’re not celebrating yet. We’ve got one more.”

Toledo 56, UTSA 14

Toledo 14 14 14 14 — 56 UTSA 7 0 7 0 — 14

Team Statistics

Total Yards — Toledo 470; UTSA 267 Rushing — Toledo 23-152-3 TDs; UTSA 6-12-1 TD Passing — Toledo 24-28-318-5 TDs; UTSA 13-28-255-1 TD-4 INT

Individual Statistics

Toledo Passing — Tucker Gleason 24-28-318, 5 TDs Rushing — Chip Trayanum 19-154, TD; Tucker Gleason 4-(-2), 2 TDs Receiving — Junior Vandeross III 10-102, 2 TDs; Eric Holley III 6-63, TD; Chip Trayanum 6-63, TD; Jacob Peterson 2-19; Trayvon Rudolph 1-1, TD

UTSA Passing — Owen McCown 13-28-255, TD, 4 INT Rushing — Robert Henry Jr. 3-28, TD; Owen McCown 3-(-16) Receiving — David Amador II 4-111; Robert Henry Jr. 3-47; Houston Thomas 2-20; Devin McCuin 2-24; DJ Allen 1-29, TD; Patrick Overmyer 1-24