By Burt Leeson

Rockets attempting to achieve a perfect record in league play for first time since 1971

11/24/2023

TOLEDO, Ohio – With a MAC West Division title already in hand, No. 23 Toledo travels to Central Michigan on Friday, Nov. 24 (Noon/ESPNU). Despite having clinched their spot in the MAC Championship Game, the Rockets have much on the line in the regular-season finale.

Toledo (10-1, 7-0 MAC) is in the conversation as a possible “Group of Five”  invitee for a New Year’s Six bowl (either the Fiesta Bowl or Peach Bowl). A loss to CMU could fatally damage its chances. For its part, Central Michigan (5-6, 3-4 MAC) will also be highly motivated. A win over Toledo will make the Chippewas bowl eligible.

Toledo is coming off a 32-31 victory at Bowling Green on Nov. 14. In one of the most dramatic comebacks in Toledo football history, the Rockets rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat their arch-rivals and return the Battle of I-75 trophy to Toledo.

Facing a 4th-and-2 with less than two minutes remaining, junior running back Jacquez Stuart caught a pass from Dequan Finn and scampered 59 yards down the sideline for the game-winning touchdown. Toledo then stopped the Falcons on downs to give the Rockets’ their 12th victory in the past 14 seasons over their rivals.

Finn threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, with both of his touchdown tosses coming in the second half. Junior running back Peny Boone rushed for 131 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown, a one-yard plunge in the fourth quarter.

Toledo vs. Central Michigan
Friday, Nov. 24 – Noon
Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, Mich.

• TEAM RECORDS: 
Toledo (10-1, 7-0 MAC)
Central Michigan (5-6, 3-4 MAC)

• SERIES RECORD: Toledo leads, 28-20-3. Toledo has won 11 of the last 13 meetings, including a 38-17 win in Toledo last year.

• THE COACHES: 
Jason Candle, 64-33 (8th year) at Toledo, same overall. 5-2 vs. Central Michigan.
Jim McElwain, 29-27 (5th year) at CMU, same overall. 2-2 vs. Toledo.

• TV/STREAMING: ESPNU
Play by Play: Shawn Kenney
Analyst:  Craig Haubert

• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 10:30 a.m.
Play by Play: Mark Beier
Analyst: Jack Mewhort
Sidelines: Mike Robinson

• WEB-AUDIO: Free live audio streaming of the UT Rocket Radio Network broadcast on UTRockets.com.

• X/TWITTER:
@ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.

Notes From the Launch Pad
• Toledo moved into the Top 25 in the latest Associated Press college football poll released on Sunday, Nov. 19. The Rockets are No. 23 in the nation with 118 total points. The Rockets also received 49 points in the AFCA coaches poll.
• This is the first time Toledo has cracked the Top 25 since Nov. 22, 2015, when it was No. 24 in the AP poll.
• Toledo is the MAC West Division champion for the second straight year. It is Toledo’s 13th division crown, the most of any MAC school.
• The Rockets will play the East Division champion Miami in the MAC Championship Game at Detroit’s Ford Field on Saturday, Dec. 2.
• This will be Head Coach Jason Candle‘s third trip to the MAC Championship Game since assuming the head coaching position at Toledo in 2016. His Rockets won the MAC Championship Game in 2017 and 2022.
• The defending MAC champion Rockets defeated Ohio in the 2022 MAC Championship Game and will be attempting to win back-to-back league titles for the first time since winning three straight MAC crowns from 1969 through 1971.
• Toledo last played in consecutive MAC title games in 2001 and 2002. Both games were against Marshall, with Toledo winning in 2001 and the Thundering Herd coming away with the victory in 2002.
• Toledo is 10-1 for the first time in Jason Candle‘s eight years at Toledo and has won 10 of its first 11 games in a season for the first time since going 11-0-1 in 1995.
• The Rockets have now won 10 straight games in a single season for the first time since 1971.
• Toledo is 7-0 in MAC play for the first time in school history. A win over CMU would make the Rockets perfect in league play since going 5-0 in 1971.
• Toledo is one of only 13 FBS schools with one loss or fewer, and one of only eight one-loss or undefeated schools that are undefeated in conference play.
• Toledo is bowl eligible for the 14th consecutive season, which is the eighth-longest streak in the FBS and the second-longest among “Group of Five” schools.

COURTESY TOLEDO ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS