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

Thursday’s GameAbove Sports Bowl between Pittsburgh and Toledo lasted nearly five hours due to a bowl game being the first.

There were six overtime periods in the contest en route to Toledo’s 48-46 win, the most ever in a bowl game.

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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 on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kimberly P. Mitchell/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Overtime was introduced to college football in 1996, and just a month ago we saw Georgia and Georgia Tech complete eight overtime periods. The most in a game is nine from a battle between Illinois and Penn State in 2021.

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

Pitt rallied to take a 30-20 lead at one point, but Pitt tied the game with just under five minutes left in regulation.

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 on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kimberly P. Mitchell/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Both teams scored field goals on their first possession of overtime and then tied the game with field goals on their next possession. New overtime rules state that teams must convert two-point conversion plays beginning in the third overtime period.

Both teams converted on each of their first three attempts, but in the sixth overtime, after Toledo scored their fourth straight goal, Pitt’s pass fell incomplete.

However, in the fourth overtime, Toledo had actually celebrated twice. But their first stop was called back for a penalty, and after thinking they had stopped Pitt again, the replay overturned the call and continued play. The Rockets still got the win.

Toledo’s Tucker Gleason went 26-for-50 for 336 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while 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 loss.

Toledo is now 12-10 in its bowl game history; It was the fourth year in a row that they hosted a bowl game.

Toledo Rockets tight end Anthony Torres runs for yards after catching the ball against Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Brandon George in 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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