BOWL ROUNDUP Toledo routed by Connecticut; Fresno prevails

UConn beat Toledo 39-10 in the Motor City Bowl, its first since moving to I-A.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DETROIT -- Connecticut cruised to a 39-10 win over Toledo Monday in the Motor City Bowl in the Huskies' first bowl appearance since becoming a Division I-A team three years ago.
The Huskies (8-4) dominated in every phase of the game. Bowl MVP Dan Orlovsky threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns and Matt Nuzie kicked a career-best four field goals.
The UConn defense held the Rockets (9-4) to just 78 yards on the ground. Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who broke his throwing hand in the Mid-American Conference championship on Dec. 2, struggled in the first half. He scored the Rockets only TD on a 1-yard run. Backup quarterback Marques Council played the second half, throwing for 160 yards with two interceptions.
The Huskies' special teams, led by Nuzie, also played well. Larry Taylor ran back a 68-yard punt for a score in the first quarter, his first of the year.
The Huskies got their biggest lift with the return of defensive end Tyler King. The 6-foot-5 senior made his first start since breaking his leg on Sept. 30 in a win over Pittsburgh.
No surprises
King and his teammates were ready for every trick play the Rockets tried to run. King recovered a fumble on Toledo's fake punt in the first half. Four plays later Orlovsky hit Jason Williams for a 32-yard touchdown. Orlovsky also hit Brian Sparks with a 7-yard scoring pass late in the second quarter.
Orlovsky completed 20-of-41 passes before he was taken out in the closing seconds to a standing ovation.
Council completed 16-of-28 passes for the MAC champs. Gradkowski was 6-of-12 for 43 yards.
Keron Henry led Connecticut's receivers with nine catches for 109 yards, while Cornell Brockington led the UConn ground game with 72 yards rushing. Matt Lawrence scored the Huskies only rushing TD -- an 11-yarder with under three minutes to play.
Fresno St. 37, No. 18 Virginia 34
BOISE, Idaho -- Paul Pinegar threw five touchdown passes, including the game-winning 25-yard strike to Stephen Spach in overtime, as Fresno State rallied in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Pinegar completed 23-of-36 passes for 235 yards without an interception. He helped the Bulldogs (9-3) erase a 21-7 second-quarter deficit. His five touchdown passes were a record for the game, formerly known as the Humanitarian Bowl.
Virginia got the first possession of overtime, taking a 34-31 lead on a 26-yard field goal by Connor Hughes.
It didn't take Pinegar long to end it. He zipped a pass inside the 5 to Spach, who fought off a pair of would-be tacklers and dropped into the end zone.
Virginia (8-4) seemed to have things in hand after Wali Lundy ran 20 yards for a TD that put the Cavaliers up 31-24 with 6:20 remaining.
The Bulldogs worked the ball across midfield, then Wendell Mathis ran 22 yards to Virginia's 25 and Bryson Sumlin reached the 15 on a 6-yard burst for a first down. On third-and-6 at the 10, Pinegar threaded a 7-yard pass into double coverage to tight end Duncan Reid, then spiked the ball to stop the clock at 28 seconds. On fourth down, Pinegar rolled right and connected with Jaron Fairman in the corner of the end zone with 11 seconds on the clock. Brent Vinsintainer added the PAT kick to tie it at 31.