Detroit, MI — Tucker Gleason delivered a standout performance with a rushing touchdown in overtime and four touchdown passes as Toledo edged Pittsburgh 48-46 in an epic six-overtime battle at the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on Thursday. The game set a new bowl record for overtimes, surpassing the five-overtime Hawaii Bowl matchup just two days earlier, where South Florida beat San Jose State 41-39.
Julian Dugger Shines in College Debut
Pittsburgh freshman Julian Dugger, making his collegiate debut, accounted for four touchdowns—two on the ground and two through the air. However, his incomplete pass in the sixth overtime sealed the game for Toledo.
The overtime drama began with Gleason and Dugger exchanging rushing touchdowns in the first period. The second overtime saw both teams settle for field goals. The stakes escalated in the third and fourth overtimes, with both quarterbacks connecting on two-point conversion passes. Gleason’s second two-point pass of overtime gave Toledo a 44-42 lead.
Dugger appeared to fall short on a sneak in the fourth overtime, prompting a celebration from the Rockets, but a holding penalty gave Pitt another chance. Replay confirmed Dugger had crossed the goal line, extending the contest.
In the fifth overtime, Dugger found Gavin Bartholomew for a touchdown, putting Pitt ahead 46-44. However, Gleason responded with his fifth touchdown pass, forcing a sixth overtime. There, Gleason struck again to give Toledo the lead, and Dugger’s pressured throw fell incomplete, ending the game.
Pitt Overcomes Quarterback Woes
The Panthers played without starting quarterback Eli Holstein (leg injury) and backup Nate Yarnell (transfer portal). Redshirt freshman walk-on David Lynch started but struggled, throwing two interceptions before being replaced by Dugger in the third quarter. Dugger immediately ignited the offense, leading Pitt to two touchdowns and a field goal on his first three drives to transform a 20-12 deficit into a 30-20 lead.
Toledo’s Resilience Shines
Toledo’s defense came up big when it mattered most. Late in the fourth quarter, Darius Alexander intercepted Dugger and returned it 58 yards for a pick-six, narrowing the gap to 30-27. With 1:45 left in regulation, the Rockets kicked a game-tying field goal to send the contest into overtime.
Gleason opened the game with a touchdown pass on Toledo’s first drive, but Pitt struck back when Kyle Louis blocked the extra point and returned it for a defensive two-point conversion—Pitt’s first since 1990. Desmond Reid’s 3-yard run and Ben Sauls’ booming 57-yard field goal gave the Panthers a 12-6 lead, but Gleason responded with a 67-yard touchdown pass to Junior Vandeross III, putting Toledo ahead 13-12.
On the ensuing drive, Lynch was intercepted by Braden Awls, who returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, giving Toledo a 20-12 halftime lead.
A Game for the Ages
The GameAbove Sports Bowl will be remembered as one of the most thrilling bowl games in history, with dramatic momentum swings, clutch plays, and a record-breaking six overtimes. For Toledo, the victory caps a remarkable season, while Pittsburgh will look to build on Dugger’s promising debut.
