Toledo opens its 2024 season with plenty of new faces in its lineup, but that doesn't change expectations for Head Coach Jason Candle's squad.
The Rockets open their 2024 campaign against Duquesne in the Glass Bowl on Thursday, Aug. 29 in "The Biggest Party in Toledo" (7:30 p.m./ESPN+). A near-capacity crowd is expected with pre-game festivities that will include live music, a beer garden, a fly-over from the 180th Fighter Wing and much more.
Toledo, which was picked to finish in second place in the Mid-American Conference in the league's coaches preseason poll, has six returning All-MAC players from last season's 11-3 team. These returners include first-teamers Jerjuan Newton (WR), Jacquez Stuart (KR) and Maxen Hook (S). Also returning are tight end Anthony Torres (second team), placekicker Luke Pawlak (third team) and defensive tackle Darius Alexander (third team).
In addition, Toledo has an experienced quarterback in junior Tucker Gleason as well as a roster full of highly regarded youngsters who are eager for their chance to shine.
The Rockets will be looking to improve on a team that has gone an impressive 20-8 over the past two seasons with two trips to the MAC Championship Game, including a MAC title in 2022, and bowl berths in each of the past three seasons.
Duquesne, an NCAA FCS opponent, was 7-5 in 2023, winning a Northeast Conference (NEC) title with a 6-1 league mark before falling to Youngstown State in the first round of the FCS playoffs. Senior quarterback Darius Perrantes returns after earning first-team all-conference in 2023. Perrantes, a finalist nod for the Walter Payton Award (FCS National Offensive Player of the Year), threw for 2,324 yards and 21 touchdowns last season.
Toledo vs. Duquesne
Thursday, Aug. 29 - 7:30 p.m.
The Glass Bowl
• TEAM RECORDS:
Toledo (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Duquesne (0-0, 0-0 Northeast Conference)
• SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
• THE COACHES:
Jason Candle, 65-35 (9th year) at Toledo, same overall. 0-0 vs. Duquesne.
Jerry Schmitt, 120-83 (20th year) at Duquesne, 148-104 (24th year) overall. 0-0 vs. Toledo.
• TV/STREAMING: ESPN+
Play by Play: Michael Reghi
Analyst: Marcus Ray
Rocket Launch Pad
• Toledo was picked to finish in second place in the Mid-American Conference in a vote by the league's head coaches. Under the new championship format, the MAC is no longer divided into two divisions. The top two teams in the standings will face off in the MAC Championship Game on Dec. 7.
• Toledo returns 45 letterwinners overall from last year's 11-3 team, including six All-MAC players.
• Toledo has not had a losing season since 2009, the fifth-longest streak in the FBS behind Boise State, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Alabama.
• Since the start of the 2016 season when Jason Candle took over as Toledo's head coach, the Rockets have won 64 games, the most in the MAC.
• Toledo is 28-2 against FCS schools since the NCAA split Division I in 1978. The last FCS school to defeat Toledo was McNeese State, which beat the Rockets in the Glass Bowl, 46-19, in 1988. The only other loss was also to McNeese State in 1980.
• Senior safety Maxen Hook is on the preseason award watch list for the Chuck Bednarik (top defender) and Jim Thorpe (defensive back) awards.
• Toledo won the MAC West Division title in 2023 with a perfect 8-0 league record. The Rockets have played in the last two MAC Championship Games, winnng the title in 2020.
• Jason Candle needs nine more wins to pass Gary Pinkel (73 wins from 1991-2000) to become the Rockets' all-time leader.
Comment from the Coach
• "It's week one and obviously there are lots of challenges that come with that. New season, new players, new team. But this group has been hard at work since mid-January and I'm confident in where we're at right now. We need to make sure we have a great week of practice to prepare for what I believe is a really strong and well-coached Duquesne team."
