If you’ve watched Mid-American Conference football for even just a year or two, you know what to expect from the Toledo Rockets: a stacked roster with tons of senior experience, one of the best and most consistent coaching staffs at the non-Autonomous level and sky-high expectations.
Toledo is the type of program which expects to be in the MAC title conversation from Week 1’s kickoff to the final whistle of the conference slate— and often times, they’re right in contention at the end.
The Rockets have not had a losing record in 15 years; during that stretch, Toledo has gone 107-53 overall, with three division wins (2017, 2022, 2023) and two conference titles (2017, 2022), while also going to a bowl game 12 of the last 15 seasons dating back to 2010.
The last two seasons, however, have brought some stumbling blocks.
2023 saw a potentially historic run squandered right at the finish line, as the then 23rd-ranked Rockets fell to the Miami RedHawks 23-14 in the MAC title game to close the door on a potential College Football Playoff berth. Toledo would go on to lose to Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl to finish 11-3 (8-0 MAC.)
2024 had a promising start, highlighted by a 41-17 spanking of SEC foe Mississippi State on the road to start the season 3-0. However, the Rockets would lay an egg the very next week on the road against Western Kentucky, blowing a 21-10 third-quarter lead to lose 26-21.
Toledo’s stumble in the hills of Kentucky extended into conference play, as they finished 1-3 against the conference’s major contenders (losses to Buffalo, Bowling Green and Ohio; win against Miami) before ending the season acrimoniously with a loss to the 3-8 Akron Zips.
A bowl win prettied up the overall record, but 8-5 is not a mark Toledo strives for, to say the least.
This upcoming season sees Toledo being held to high…
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