Toledo, Pitt make bowl game history in an extended contest that will become an instant classic

Bowl season is always crazy, but the day after Christmas, college football fans saw something they had never seen before.

Thursday’s GameAbove Sports Bowl between Pittsburgh and Toledo took nearly five hours to finish because of a bowl game first.

The contest featured six overtimes, the most ever in a bowl game, en route to Toledo’s 48–46 victory.

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GameAbove Sports Bowl

Toledo Rockets quarterback Tucker Gleason (4) runs for the first down during the first half of the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kimberly P. Mitchell/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Overtime was established in college football in 1996, and it was just a month ago that we saw Georgia and Georgia Tech go to eight overtimes. The most in any game is nine from an Illinois-Penn State game in 2021.

In the first half, Toledo was down 12-6 but scored two touchdowns in a span of 14 seconds – a 67-yard pass and then a 40-yard pick-six – to take a 20-12 lead.

Pitt rallied to go up 30-20 at one point, but Pitt tied the game with just under five minutes to go in regulation.

David Lynch

Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback David Lynch is sacked by Toledo Rockets defensive end D’Andre Ragin during the first half of the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kimberly P. Mitchell/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Both teams scored field goals on their first overtime possession, then matched each other with field goals on their next. New overtime rules state that starting in the third overtime, teams must convert two-point conversion plays.

Both teams converted on each of their first three attempts, but in the sixth overtime, after Toledo hit its fourth-down drive, Pitt’s pass fell incomplete.

In the fourth overtime, however, Toledo had actually celebrated twice. But their first stop was called back due to a penalty, and after thinking they stopped Pitt again, replay review reversed the call and continued the game. The Rockets got the win anyway.

Toledo’s Tucker Gleason went 26-for-50 for 336 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for a score. Junior Vandeross III had 12 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown.

Desmond Reid ran for 165 yards on 32 carries for Pitt in the losing effort.

Toledo is now 12-10 in their bowl game history; it was the fourth straight year they made a bowl game.

GameAbove Bowl

Toledo Rockets tight end Anthony Torres runs for yards after catching the ball against Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Brandon George during the first half of the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kimberly P. Mitchell/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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Pitt missed out on a bowl opportunity last year after taking home the 2022 Sun Bowl.

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