BOCA RATON, Fla. — One of the top seasons in recent Mid-American Conference history ended in fitting fashion: with some magic on a Tuesday night.
The University of Toledo topped No. 24 Temple 32-17 at the Boca Raton Bowl, leaving Florida Atlantic University Stadium with a trophy and its 10th win of the season.
The Rockets created a series of program high-water marks. Toledo had not won 10 games since 2001, it had not won bowl games in back-to-back years since 1971, and it never had beaten two ranked nonconference opponents in the same season.
After Tuesday night, all of that will be updated to reflect the 2015 team's parting gift.
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In rocky past month during which Toledo missed out on a MAC title, dropped from the top 25, and lost its coach, the Rockets finished 2015 with their most complete victory of the season.
“When this whole thing broke and change happens, you rely on really good people to hold it together,” said Jason Candle, who coached his first game at Toledo from the press box. “Those 19 [seniors], they've risen to the occasion. … I'm really happy to be their coach right now.”
Phillip Ely finished 20 of 28 for 285 yards and two touchdowns in his final game as a Rocket. He was named the game's offensive MVP.
Kareem Hunt ran for 79 yards and two touchdowns for the Rockets (10-2)
Toledo's first points of the day started, strangely enough, with a punt.
Down 3-0, UT punted from its own 27, and Temple returner Sean Chandler did not field Nick Ellis' punt, which went 64 yards down to the Temple nine.
Close to their own end zone, the Owls ran twice — and UT linebacker Ja'Wuan Woodley, the defensive MVP, knocked the ball out of Jahad Thomas' hands on the second run. The ball popped through the back of the end zone for a safety.
Off the safety punt, UT created its best drive of the half. On a short pass, Corey Jones broke four Temple (10-4) tackles and evaded a fifth as he fell into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown from Ely.
Toledo tacked on Jameson Vest's 38-yard field goal as time expired on the first half, taking a 12-3 lead into halftime.
The Owls gained five yards in the second quarter and only 67 in the half, the lowest output for any Toledo opponent this season.
Temple matched that output on its first drive of the second half. After a Toledo punt, the Owls drove 67 yards, but again settled for a short field goal, Jones' 25-yarder to cut the lead to six.
It was more of the same on the next series of possessions. Toledo couldn't move the ball and punted, while Temple entered the red zone but couldn't score a touchdown. The Owls' third trip inside the Toledo 20 earned a third field goal, Jones' 35-yarder to make the score 12-9 in favor of UT.
In a game that had been largely defensive, the Rockets finally connected on a big offensive play.
Toledo aimed high with a play-action on its first play of the fourth-quarter and struck, as Ely found Cody Thompson in single coverage near midfield. Ely's pass led Thompson to freedom, and Thompson raced the remaining yards for an 80-yard touchdown with just more than 12 minutes to play.
Ely had the chance to run or pass on the play, and rolled the dice.
“It was probably a little iffy-iffy, but that's kind of this game: you take a chance here and there,” Ely said. “Luckily it worked out for us.”
Holding a 19-9 lead, UT's defense matched the offense. Rolan Milligan broke up P.J. Walker's pass, and the ball popped into the air. Senior Juwan Haynes earned his first career interception, giving the ball right back to the Rockets.
UT's offense responded with its most sustained drive of the night. Toledo took possession with 11:17 remaining, and bled 5:31 off the clock, moving 74 yards in 12 plays and scoring another touchdown.
On two key third-down, Ely completed passes — one to Michael Roberts, the other to Jones — for first downs. Ely and Alonzo Russell connected for 15 yards down to the one, and Hunt finished off the drive with a simple touchdown run.
After the Rockets' extra point was blocked, they led 25-9.
Kip Patton scored on a two-yard run for Temple, and Walker converted the two-point conversion. Down eight, Temple tried an onside kick and appeared to recover, but the officials ruled that Thompson had recovered it for UT.
“I thought we had it,” Temple coach Matt Rhule said. “I still think we had it.”
Hunt broke a 41-yard touchdown two plays later to clinch the game.
Asked if the ball changed hands on the debated onside kick, Thompson offered a tongue-in-cheek answer that drew laughs from the news conference.
“I had it the whole time,” he said.
So did the Rockets, who ended 2015 as one of the best teams in program history.
“What a great football team,” Ely said. “What a great team win, and a great effort all around.”
Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at: npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 724-6110, or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz
First Published December 23, 2015, 5:32 a.m.