CCU football is now 0-6 lifetime against FBS schools.
The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team put up a fight before bowing to the Toledo Rockets, 38-28 before a crowd of 19,023 at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio.
CCU quarterback Aramis Hillary completed 30 passes out of 47 attempts for 356 yards and three TD passes. His attempts, completions and passing yards were career highs for the Gamecocks transfer.
Coastal broke on top 7-0 in the first quarter on a one-yard TD run by Jeremy Height. It was the first time in history that CCU had ever taken a lead in a game against an FBS opponent.
Toledo scored the next 17 points. But CCU countered with a Hillary to Thomas Pauciello 28-yard TD strike to cut Toledo's lead to 17-14 at halftime.
The Chants continued to storm back, taking a 21-17 lead early in the third quarter. Hillary found DeMario Bennett on a 19 yard TD pass to put Coastal on top 21-17.
Toledo took over from there. Rockets QB Terrance Owens scored on an 8-yard run to give his team the lead for good. Cassius McDowell added a 6-yard TD run to make it 31-21 Toledo.
Coastal made it interesting, midway through the fourth quarter, Hillary threw a 17-yard TD pass to Tyrell Blanks to cut the Rockets lead to 31-28. But Toledo iced the game with 4:59 to play. Owens, who was 27 of 36 for 290 yards, threw his third TD pass of the night to close out the scoring. Owens threw three TD passes and ran for another.
Coastal had some bright spots in defeat. They had more first downs than Toledo, 20-18. CCU had more passing yards, 356-290. They also had more total yards, 432-402.
The game was turnover free.
Coastal's 28 points were the most ever by the school against an FBS opponent. CCU is now 0-6 lifetime against FBS schools. For the trip to Toledo, Coastal Carolina University received a check for $375,000.
Coastal Carolina is now 2-2 on the season. The Chants will play Appalachian State in Boone, North Carolina next Saturday, September 29. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
