Miller and Walendzak combine for nearly 300 yards rushing, lead Toledo to 39-24 win over Ball State

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — CJ Miller and Connor Walendzak combined for 299 yards rushing and three touchdowns to lead Toledo to a 39-24 victory over Ball State on Saturday in the Mid-American Conference opener for the Rockets.

It is Toledo's fourth straight win and sixth consecutive conference victory dating to last season.

Miller scored two touchdowns and finished with 196 yards rushing that included a pair of runs of at least 50 yards. Walendzak added 103 and scored on a 30-yard run. John Alan Richter was 19-of-35 passing for 201 yards and threw a touchdown pass for Toledo (4-1, 1-0).

Reice Giffith kicked field goals from 43 and 21 yards in the first quarter for the Rockets. A safety in the second quarter along with Richter's 11-yard touchdown pass to Daryl Barnett Jr. with 11 seconds remaining gave the Rockets a 15-10 lead at the break.

Walendzak's long scoring run came in the third quarter, and Miller's 2-yard touchdown run stretched the advantage to 32-18 with 13:27 remaining.

Keldric Luster threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jabari Smith Jr. to pull Ball State (1-4, 0-2) to 32-24 with 2:13 left. Miller, who also had a 50-yard run in the first quarter, broke loose for a 68-yard touchdown run with 1:35 to go.

Luster completed 21 of 33 passes for 224 yards and threw two touchdowns passes with an interception. TJ Horton ran for 90 yards that included a 66-yard score for the Cardinals.

Up next

Toledo: Hosts Buffalo on Saturday.

Ball State: At Northwestern on Saturday.

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