Toledo hands Liberty 1st bowl loss, 21-19, in Boca Bowl

BOCA RATON, FLA. >> Dequan Finn passed for 133 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score to lead Toledo past Liberty 21-19 in the rainy Boca Raton Bowl Tuesday night.

Toledo came from behind, then fended off Liberty, handing the Flames their first loss in a bowl game after three bowl victories.

Liberty (8-5) was directed by interim coach Josh Aldridge, who stepped in for Hugh Freeze, who became the head coach at Auburn at the end of the regular season.

Toledo (9-5) punctuated a successful season that included winning the MidAtlantic Conference title with its first bowl victory since 2015.

Liberty scored twice in a five-minute span of the fourth quarter, turning a 21-7 deficit into a twopoint game. Kaidon Salter hit Treon Sibley with a 29yard scoring pass at 7:24 of the period to make it 21-13 and CJ Daniels found Bentley Hanshaw with a 67yard scoring strike to close the game to two points. But, Liberty’s 2-point conversion try failed and Toledo held on for the final 3:40

Finn was just as dangerous offensively as he had been all season, when he led the Mid-American Conference with 30 total TDs.

Finn guided Toledo’s offense 75 yards on the opening drive of the second half to give the Rockets their first lead of the game, 10-7, and they led the rest of the way. Lenny Khule’s 4-yard TD reception capped the drive and was his third TD of the season.

Finn’s 1-yard rushing score in the fourth gave Toledo a 21-7 lead.

Liberty held a 7-3 lead at the half as its defense kept Toledo out of the end zone, even though the Rockets had more first downs, offensive yards and led in time of possession.

Liberty running back Shedro Louis scored the Flames’ first touchdown with a 9-yard rush in the first quarter.