JONESBORO — A third meeting with Toledo went pretty much like the last two for Arkansas State.
Toledo asserted itself on the ground, completed passes at seemingly every chance it needed to, and at times ASU couldn’t get out of its own way on Friday night at Centennial Bank Stadium.
The Rockets closed the first half with three consecutive touchdown drives to turn an early deficit into another runaway as the finale of three games in three seasons ended with a 31-10 Toledo victory.
Toledo’s victory was its third over ASU since January 2015. The Rockets beat the Red Wolves 63-44 in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl, then 37-7 last year on their home field. This time, Toledo ended the three-game series by handing ASU its worst home loss in nine seasons.
ASU (0-1) vowed this game would be different, counting on a stocked defensive front and a cast of new characters on offense. But a defense packed with returners didn’t have an answer for quarterback Logan Woodside, who completed 23 of 31 passes for 371 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Woodside, who led Toledo (1-0) to the victory in the GoDaddy Bowl, was at his best in key moments Friday. He led the Rockets to conversions on eight consecutive third downs, a string that ended when Jameson Vest made a 42-yard field goal to make it 24-3 in the third quarter. Woodside himself was 7 of 9 for 80 yards with 2 touchdowns on third downs during that span, connecting for scores with Michael Roberts from 5 yards out and Cody Thompson from 16 yards out in the first half.
ASU's offense led by a new coordinator and two new quarterbacks never did get into a rhythm while being held to 266 yards, the fourth-lowest total in Coach Blake Anderson's four seasons.
The Red Wolves' lone bright spot was an 83-yard pass from Chad Voytik to Blake Mack which led to an Armond Weh-Weh 2-yard touchdown run that made it 31-10.
The Red Wolves took a 3-0 lead on J.D. Houston’s 43-yard field goal in the first quarter, but the rest of their first-half possessions ended with two punts while Toledo took control.
First was a Roberts' touchdown catch to end a 75-yard drive, then a Hunt 1-yard run to end a 51-yard march and then a shanked punt put Toledo at the ASU 33. Woodside then connected with Cody Thompson for a 16-yard pass right before half to go up 21-3.
Vest's 42-yard field goal and a 22-yard pass from Woodside to Roberts pushed the lead to 31-3 in the third quarter.
ASU did well in one category identified by Coach Blake Anderson as important — turnovers. Chris Humes recovered a fumble in the first half and Cody Thompson fumbled a ball through the end zone after a 49-yard gain on a pass play.
Voytik, making his first start for ASU, completed 11 of 24 passes for 124 yards and added 38 yards rushing.
Justice Hansen, after a competition with Voytik all month, played one series in the first half, which ended in a punt after losing six yards.
Warren Wand rushed for 77 yards, but starter Johnston White was lost to an unspecified injury in the first half. ASU rushed for 142 yards as a team.
Read Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.