Toledo beats NIU 42-3 behind Rudolph’s 96-yard kick return, Gleason’s 2 TDs

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Tucker Gleason threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns and Trayvon Rudolph opened the game with a 96-yard kickoff return as Toledo downed Northern Illinois 42-3 on Wednesday night.

After Andrew Glass hit a 50-yard field goal to pull NIU within 7-3 at 9:25 of the first, Toledo (5-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) took control with a 21-point second quarter. Chip Trayanum powered in from 5 yards at 5:08, and Gleason found Junior Vandeross III for a 19-yard score with 51 seconds left to cap an eight-play, 92-yard march.

Kenji Christian finished it off after the break, running in from 10 yards with 4:53 in the third, then hauling in a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth.

Gleason went 25 of 31 with no interceptions, repeatedly working to Vandeross, who had six catches for 97 yards. Christian totaled 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Northern Illinois (2-7, 1-4) rushed 36 times for 62 yards and completed only 11 of 29 for 141 yards. Toledo ran 29 times for 134 yards with three scores and Gleason averaged 9.4 yards per attempt. Rickey Taylor Jr. led NIU with three receptions for 69 yards.

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