Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski said his team refers to third down as the money down.

And Tuesday night, the Rockets cashed in time after time when they needed it the most – on third down.

Toledo converted on 13 of 19 third downs, to be exact, including three key conversions in the second half, which helped the Rockets to a 31-17 win over NIU in front of 27,719 fans at Huskie Stadium in an ESPN2-broadcasted game.

“Well, third down is money down – that’s what we call it,” Gradkowski said. “We came after it tonight. The offensive line did a great job, and it’s definitely hard for a defense when you get it on third down.”

NIU running back and the national leader for touchdowns, Garrett Wolfe, did not play because of an eye injury he supposedly suffered while trying to break up an altercation over the weekend. Novak said he did not find out about the injury until Sunday night and hasn’t spoken to Wolfe yet.

Up 24-17 with 11:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Rockets faced a third-and-eight from the NIU 48-yard line. Needing a stop to get the ball back, the Huskies failed, giving up a 32-yard pass to Lance Moore. The play kept the drive alive, which eventually led to a third-and-19 conversion and finally the dagger in the NIU coffin – a touchdown.

“That’s a little bit of our philosophy – that we’re going to be an attacking team,” Toledo Coach Tom Amstutz said. “We’re not necessarily going to take the cautious or safe route, but we try to make a play.”

For the Rockets (7-3 overall, 6-1 MAC), the win was the 11th consecutive over the Huskies (7-3, 6-1) and it gave them control of their own destiny. A win for the Huskies would have sealed the MAC West Division championship. Now NIU will have to cheer on Bowling Green when they take on Toledo Nov. 23 in Toledo.

“I don’t believe in jinxes, but I’m starting to wonder,” NIU Coach Joe Novak said. “For whatever reason, we just don’t match up well.”

After starting out quick and enjoying a 17-7 lead, it was all downhill for the Huskies.

In the second half, Toledo outscored the Huskies 17-0 and controlled the ball for 23:21 of the 30 minutes. For the game, the Rockets had 91 offensive plays to NIU’s 45.

“We got our butt whipped,” Novak said. “No ifs, ands or buts about it; we got our butt whipped. They did to us what we did to Bowling Green. What goes around comes around.

“In the second half, we didn’t have the football, and when we did, we didn’t do anything with it.”

Toledo finished the game with 512 yards of total offense, while NIU has just 180.

Gradkowski finished the game 28-of-37 for 297 yards, while NIU’s Josh Haldi was 10-of-22 for 95 yards.