MOBILE, Ala. - Bruce Gradkowski and the Toledo Rockets came up with one big play after another. UTEP came up short in the postseason again.
Gradkowski threw five touchdown passes and Trinity Dawson rushed for 132 yards, leading the Rockets to a 45-13 victory over the Miners on Wednesday night in the GMAC Bowl.
But it wasn't just the offense that came up big for Toledo (9-3), which had lost its last two bowl games. David Thomas returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown and Mike Alston had two big tackles to end the first half when UTEP was threatening to cut into a 28-13 deficit.
UTEP ended its season with a defeat for the 19th consecutive year and dropped to 0-4 in bowls since 1967, despite making big strides in two years under Mike Price. Price was fired from Alabama in 2003 after an evening cavorting with strippers in Pensacola, Fla.
