| Toledo Rockets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Current season: 2024 Toledo Rockets
| |||
| |||
| First season | 1917 | ||
| Head coach | Jason Candle | ||
| 7th year, 65–35 (.650) | |||
| Home stadium | Glass Bowl | ||
| Year built | 1936 | ||
| Stadium capacity | 36,852 | ||
| Stadium surface | Field Turf | ||
| Location | Toledo, Ohio, U.S. | ||
| Conference | Mid-American Conference (MAC) | ||
| Division | West | ||
| All-time history | |||
| All-time record | 580–452–44 (.561) | ||
| Postseason bowl record | 11–10 (.524) | ||
| Conference titles | 15 | ||
| Consensus All-Americans | 2 | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Midnight Blue[1] , Gold[1], and White (white only on alternate jerseys)
| ||
| Fight song | "U of Toledo" | ||
| Mascot | Rocket the Rocket % Rocksky the Rocket | ||
| Marching band | The U of Toledo Marching Band | ||
| Rivals | Bowling Green Falcons Miami (OH) RedHawks | ||
| Website | UTRockets.com | ||
The Toledo Rockets football team represents the University of Toledo located in Toledo, Ohio. The Rockets are a member of the NCAA FBS Mid-American Conference and play their home games at the Glass Bowl in Toledo. The Rockets are currently coached by Jason Candle.
Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, and 1943–1945. Since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936, Toledo has finished in the Top 25 four times. Its highest finish came in 1970 when it ranked #12 after finishing 12–0–0. The University of Toledo has a 10–7 record in bowl games. The Rockets have won the MAC Championship 12 times, the latest coming in 2022.
Team History[]
Early history (1917–1962)[]
Toledo first fielded a football team in 1917, under the leadership of John Brandeberry. According to Toledo Rockets lore, the team began when a group of students purchased uniforms from a sporting goods store, then arranged a game against the University of Detroit in order to settle the debt. Brandeberry stepped in to coach the team, which promptly lost the game 145–0 (but settled the debt).[2]
For the first few years Toledo played without a nickname, but was dubbed the "Rockets" after two long touchdown runs in a 1923 loss to Carnegie Tech. That season also saw Toledo win its first conference title.[2] Clarence Spears served as the Rocket's head coach and athletics director for seven seasons, from 1936–1942. Under his tutelage, the Rockets compiled a record of 38–26–2. which included five consecutive winning seasons.[3] In two seasons, the Rockets compiled a record of 11–10 under head coach Skip Stahley.[4] Forrest England served as Toledo's head coach for two seasons in 1954 and 1955, compiling a record of 9–7–2.[5]
Nick Saban (1990)[]
Nick Saban was head coach of the Rockets for one season, leading Toledo to a 9–2 record and a MAC co-championship in 1990. The two games the Rockets lost that season were by narrow margins: one point to Central Michigan, and four points to Navy.[6] While at the helm of the Rockets, Saban turned down an application of Urban Meyer, who was looking for a job on his staff as an assistant coach.[7]
Saban left Toledo after the 1991 season to become the NFL's Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator under Bill Belicheck,[8] and later head coaching positions at Michigan State (1995–1999), LSU (2000–2004), the NFL's Miami Dolphins (2005–2006) and Alabama.
Tom Amstutz era (2001–2008)[]
Known as "Toledo Tom", Tom Amstutz led the Rockets to some of the greatest successes, including two MAC Championships, four MAC West titles, and four bowl game appearances. A native of Toledo and former Rocket player himself, was promoted from defensive coordinator, a post he held under Saban and Pinkel, to the Rockets head coach after Pinkel's departure.[9]
During his eight seasons as head coach, Amstutz led the Rockets to impressive victories over #9 Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Kansas, and Iowa State. Perhaps the greatest though was a 13-10 defeat in 2008 against the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor.[10] The Rockets are the first and so far only MAC football team to beat Michigan. Amstutz resigned as head coach following the 2008 season.[11] His final record as head coach was 58–41, including victories at the 2001 Motor City Bowl and 2005 GMAC Bowl.[12]
Matt Campbell era (2012–2015)[]
Named interim head coach following the departure of head coach Tim Beckman, to coach Illinois, Matt Campbell made his debut as the Rockets coach with a 42-41 victory over Air Force in the 2011 Military Bowl.[13] At 32 years old, he was the youngest FBS coach at the time, and went on to enjoy four winning seasons and an overall record of 35-15. The team saw big victories along the way with a win over #18 Cincinnati in 2012 and a 2015 upset of #18 Arkansas in Little Rock, Toledo's first win over an SEC team.[14] They also went on to a bowl victory over Arkansas State in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl. Campbell resigned as head coach at the end of the 2015 regular season to accept a head coaching job at Iowa State.[15]
Jason Candle era (2016–present)[]
Initially planning to following Matt Campbell to Iowa State for an assistant coaching position, Jason Candle changed course and quickly returned to Toledo after the Rockets offered him the head coaching position. Like his predecessor, his first game as head coach was a bowl victory, with the Rockets defeating No. 24 Temple in the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl.
In 2017, the Rockets defeated Western Michigan to become the outright MAC West Division champions for the first time since 1998, and their first trip to the MAC Championship since 2004. Toledo went on to defeat Akron 45–28 and win its first MAC Championship in 13 years.
In 2022, the Rockets defeated Ball State and Western Michigan lost to Northern Illinois to become the MAC West Division co-champions with Eastern Michigan. Toledo beat Eastern Michigan early in the season so the Rockets had the tie-breaker. Toledo went on to defeat Ohio 17–7 in the MAC Championship.
In 2024, Candle tied Gary Pinkel as the winningest coach in Toledo football history with 73 wins after beating Pittsburgh in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.
Championships[]
Conference championships[]
The Rockets have won 15 conference titles, with 12 of them being during their affiliation with the Mid-American Conference.
| Year | Conference | Coach | Record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | Northwest Ohio League | Pat Dwyer | 6–4 | – |
| 1927 | Northwest Ohio League | Boni Petcoff | 5–2 | – |
| 1929 | Northwest Ohio League | Boni Petcoff | 4–2–1 | – |
| 1967 | Mid-American Conference | Frank Lauterbur | 9–1 | 5–1 |
| 1969 | Mid-American Conference | Frank Lauterbur | 11–0 | 5–0 |
| 1970 | Mid-American Conference | Frank Lauterbur | 12–0 | 5–0 |
| 1971 | Mid-American Conference | John Murphy | 12–0 | 5–0 |
| 1981 | Mid-American Conference | Chuck Stobart | 9–3 | 8–1 |
| 1984 | Mid-American Conference | Dan Simrell | 8–3–1 | 7–1–1 |
| 1990 | Mid-American Conference | Nick Saban | 9–2 | 7–1 |
| 1995 | Mid-American Conference | Gary Pinkel | 11–0–1 | 7–0–1 |
| 2001 | Mid-American Conference | Tom Amstutz | 10–2 | 5–2 |
| 2004 | Mid-American Conference | Tom Amstutz | 9–4 | 7–1 |
| 2017 | Mid-American Conference | Jason Candle | 11–2 | 7–1 |
| 2022 | Mid-American Conference | Jason Candle | 8–5 | 5–3 |
Division championships[]
The Rockets have won 13 division titles.
| Year | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | MAC - West | Gary Pinkel | Marshall | L 14–34 |
| 1998 | MAC - West | Gary Pinkel | Marshall | L 17–23 |
| 2000† | MAC - West | Gary Pinkel | N/A lost tiebreaker to Western Michigan | |
| 2001† | MAC - West | Tom Amstutz | Marshall | W 41–36 |
| 2002† | MAC - West | Tom Amstutz | Marshall | L 45–49 |
| 2004† | MAC - West | Tom Amstutz | Miami (OH) | W 35–27 |
| 2005† | MAC - West | Joe Novak | N/A lost tiebreaker to Northern Illinois | |
| 2011† | MAC - West | Tim Beckman | N/A lost tiebreaker to Northern Illinois | |
| 2014† | MAC - West | Matt Campbell | N/A lost tiebreaker to Northern Illinois | |
| 2015† | MAC - West | Matt Campbell | N/A lost tiebreaker to Northern Illinois | |
| 2017 | MAC - West | Jason Candle | Akron | W 45–28 |
| 2022† | MAC - West | Jason Candle | Ohio | W 17–7 |
| 2023 | MAC - West | Jason Candle | Miami (OH) | L 14–23 |
† Co-champions
Bowl games[]
Toledo has appeared in 22 NCAA-sanctioned post-season bowl games since 1969, and has an 12–10 record overall.
| Season | Date played | Bowl Game | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | December 26, 1969 | Tangerine Bowl | Davidson | W 56–33 |
| 1970 | December 28, 1970 | Tangerine Bowl | William & Mary | W 40–12 |
| 1971 | December 28, 1971 | Tangerine Bowl | Richmond | W 28–3 |
| 1981 | December 19, 1981 | California Bowl | San Jose State | W 27–25 |
| 1984 | December 15, 1984 | California Bowl | UNLV | L 13–30* |
| 1995 | December 14, 1995 | Las Vegas Bowl | Nevada | W 40–37OT |
| 2001 | December 29, 2001 | Motor City Bowl | Cincinnati | W 32–16 |
| 2002 | December 26, 2002 | Motor City Bowl | Boston College | L 25–51 |
| 2004 | December 27, 2004 | Motor City Bowl | Connecticut | L 10–39 |
| 2005 | December 21, 2005 | GMAC Bowl | UTEP | W 45–13 |
| 2010 | December 26, 2010 | Little Caesars Pizza Bowl | FIU | L 32–34 |
| 2011 | December 28, 2011 | Military Bowl | Air Force | W 42–41 |
| 2012 | December 15, 2012 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Utah State | L 15–41 |
| 2014 | January 4, 2015 | GoDaddy Bowl | Arkansas State | W 63–44 |
| 2015 | December 22, 2015 | Boca Raton Bowl | Temple | W 32–17 |
| 2016 | December 17, 2016 | Camellia Bowl | Appalachian State | L 28–31 |
| 2017 | December 23, 2017 | Dollar General Bowl | Appalachian State | L 0–34 |
| 2018 | December 21, 2018 | Bahamas Bowl | FIU | L 32–35 |
| 2021 | December 17, 2021 | Bahamas Bowl | Middle Tennessee | L 24–31 |
| 2022 | December 20, 2022 | Boca Raton Bowl | Liberty | W 21–19 |
| 2023 | December 30, 2023 | Arizona Bowl | Wyoming | L 15–16 |
| 2024 | December 26, 2024 | GameAbove Sports Bowl | Pittsburgh | W 48–466OT |
- From 1946 through 1949, the Rockets played a post-season game named the Glass Bowl that was played at their stadium. They were 3–1, losing the last game to the Cincinnati Bearcats. Like some other postseason match-ups of the era, such as the Grape Bowl and the Optimist Bowl, results are listed in NCAA records, but the games were not considered NCAA-sanctioned bowls.
- ^* After the 1984 California Bowl, it was found that UNLV had allegedly used ineligible players during the season. Despite the fact that they were not used in the bowl game, the school forfeited the win, though the NCAA does not recognize the forfeit.
Seasons[]
2020s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jason Candle | |
| 2024 | Jason Candle | 8-5 |
| 2023 | Jason Candle | 11-3 |
| 2022 | Jason Candle | 9-5 |
| 2021 | Jason Candle | 7-5 |
| 2020 | Jason Candle | 4-2 |
2010s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Jason Candle | 6-6 |
| 2018 | Jason Candle | 7-6 |
| 2017 | Jason Candle | 11-3 |
| 2016 | Jason Candle | 9-4 |
| 2015 | Matt Campbell; Jason Candle | 10-2 |
| 2014 | Matt Campbell | 9-4 |
| 2013 | Matt Campbell | 7-5 |
| 2012 | Matt Campbell | 9-4 |
| 2011 | Matt Campbell | 9-4 |
| 2010 | Tim Beckman | 8-5 |
2000s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Tim Beckman | 5-7 |
| 2008 | Tom Amstutz | 3-9 |
| 2007 | Tom Amstutz | 5-7 |
| 2006 | Tom Amstutz | 5-7 |
| 2005 | Tom Amstutz | 9-3 |
| 2004 | Tom Amstutz | 9-4 |
| 2003 | Tom Amstutz | 8-4 |
| 2002 | Tom Amstutz | 9-5 |
| 2001 | Tom Amstutz | 10-2 |
| 2000 | Gary Pinkel | 10-1 |
1990s[]
| Season | Coach | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Gary Pinkel | 6-5 |
| 1998 | Gary Pinkel | 7-5 |
| 1997 | Gary Pinkel | 9-3 |
| 1996 | Gary Pinkel | 7-4 |
| 1995 | Gary Pinkel | 11-0-1 |
| 1994 | Gary Pinkel | 6-4-1 |
| 1993 | Gary Pinkel | 4-7 |
| 1992 | Gary Pinkel | 8-3 |
| 1991 | Gary Pinkel | 5-5-1 |
| 1990 |
Image gallery[]
Logos/Helmets[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "A to Z List - Who We Are (Colors)", UT Brand guide (utrockets.com). Retrieved on August 31, 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rothman, Seymour. "An intimate, informal, and irreverent look at the early days of UT football", Toledo Blade, November 10, 1991. Retrieved on 2010-01-10.
- ↑ University of Toledo Athletics - Dr. Clarence Spears, Football Coach (1936-1942).
- ↑ J. NEIL (SKIP) STAHLEY, 83, UI ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.
- ↑ HighBeam
- ↑ Archived copy. Archived from the original on 2009-08-19. Retrieved on 2008-12-15.
- ↑ Thamel, Pete (4 December 2009). Nick Saban and Urban Meyer Share a Friendship With Bill Belichick.
- ↑ Lena, Sebastian. Nick Saban Says 4 Years Under Bill Belichick Were 'Worst of My Life'.
- ↑ UT hires 2 coaches (10 January 2001).
- ↑ Toledo beats Michigan 13-10 after late FG miss – USATODAY.com.
- ↑ Tom Amstutz Will Step Down as Head Football Coach at End of This Season; Accepts New Position in UT Alumni Office.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ "2011 Military Bowl", MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN. (en-US)
- ↑ Arkansas vs. Toledo: What we learned from the Rockets' 16-12 win over the Razorbacks.
- ↑ Matt Campbell named Iowa State's head coach.
External Links[]
- Toledo Rockets football article at Wikipedia
