Tucker Gleason completed 23 of 28 pass attempts for 285 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions to lead unbeaten Toledo to a 41-17 upset victory Saturday against Mississippi State at Starkville, Miss.
Mississippi State (2-1) was a 10-point favorite in the first meeting between the programs.
Toledo (3-0) achieved its second road victory against an SEC school. The Rockets, 2-4 against the SEC, beat Arkansas at Little Rock, Ark., in 2015.
Toledo established control in its first possession when it drove 70 yards in 12 plays, capped with Gleason’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Junior Vandeross III.
The drive took 6:13 off the clock and gave the Rockets a 7-0 lead with 6:35 left in the first quarter.
After having to punt on its next possession, Toledo scored a touchdown the next three times it had the ball.
Gleason threw another touchdown pass, a 6-yard connection with Jerjuan Newton, and Connor Walendzak and Willi Shaw III each had rushing touchdowns to give Toledo a 28-3 lead with 1:09 left in the first half.
Mississippi State threatened to score at the end of the first half but came up short after coach Jeff Lebby elected to go for a touchdown rather than a field goal with the ball on the Rocket 12 with one second left.
Blake Shapen’s pass in the end zone was intercepted by Avery Smith.
Shapen, a fifth-year senior who is a transfer from Baylor, completed 28 of 39 pass attempts for 319 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Toledo increased its lead early in the third quarter after Mississippi State turned the ball over on downs at its 37.
Davon Booth was stopped for no gain by Toledo’s Lance Dixon and Cavon Butler on the fourth-and-1 attempt.
Four plays later, Gleason connected with Newton for a 15-yard score to increase the lead to 35-3 with 10:05 left in the third quarter.
Mississippi State answered on its next possession, putting together a 13-play, 72-yard drive that was capped with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Shapen to Mario Craver.
The Bulldogs cut the lead to 38-17 with 6:11 left after an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Shapen’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Coleman Jr.
