TOLEDO - The calendar has turned to November, and that means the battle for the Mid-American Conference championship has begun in earnest. Games in November are something akin to playoff contests, where any loss can severely damage a team's hopes of winning its division and advancing to the MAC Championship on Dec. 2.

       The Toledo Rockets find themselves in such a position. Toledo (6-2, 3-1 MAC) is a game behind first-place Western Michigan (4-0) in the West Division standings. The Rockets and the Broncos meet in the season finale on Nov. 25 in a game that could be decisive. However, any loss by UT in its next three games, including Wednesday's contest at Akron, could be fatal.

        The Rockets suffered their first league loss last Thursday, a 31-26 setback to Ohio at the Glass Bowl. Junior quarterback Logan Woodside threw for 438 yards and three touchdowns but it wasn't enough. Woodside helped trim an 11-point deficit with a TD pass to Jon'Vea Johnson with 3:28 left, but the Rockets ran out of time and downs in their last possession in the waning seconds of the game. Woodside threw three touchdown passes, padding his nation-leading total to 31 on the season and breaking the school record of 29 set by Bruce Gradkowski in 2003 and 2005.

    Akron (5-4, 3-2 MAC) is coming off a 41-20 loss at Buffalo on Thursday. The Zips were trailing by a touchdown, 27-20, in the fourth quarter but the Bulls scored twice to put the game away. Akron is led by junior quarterback Thomas Woodson, who is averaging almost 300 yards passing per game.  Senior wide receiver JoJo Natson has 50 receptions and nine TD catches.

Rocket Round-Up
• The Toledo-Akron series is tied, 9-9. Akron won the most recent matchup, 31-29, in Akron in the season finale in 2013.
• Quarterback Logan Woodside leads the nation with 31 touchdown passes. His three TD passes vs. Ohio on Oct. 27 helped him break the UT single-season mark of 29 set by Bruce Gradkowski in 2003 and 2005.
• UT is bowl-eligible for the seventh-straight season.
• Despite the loss to Ohio on Oct. 27, Toledo still controls its own destiny and can go to the MAC Championship Game by winning its remaining games.
• Toledo's loss to Ohio on Oct. 27 was its first at home versus a MAC East Division school since a 27-13 setback against Miami on Oct. 26, 2002, a string of 19 straight home wins.
• The Ohio loss was also Toledo's first against any East Division school since a 31-29 setback at Akron on Nov. 29, 2013.
• Junior wide receiver Cody Thompson and senior tight end Michael Roberts each have nine TD receptions this season, putting them in a tie for seventh-most in the nation. Sophomore Jon'Vea Johnson has eight TDs. The all-time UT record is 14 by Lance Moore in 2004.
• Toledo is averaging 544.4 yards of total offense and 347.1 in passing, both top marks in the MAC.

Toledo vs. Akron

• TEAM RECORDS:
    Toledo (6-2, 3-1 MAC)
    Akron (5-4, 3-2 MAC)

• SERIES RECORD: The series is tied, 9-9. Akron  won the most recent meeting, a 31-29 victory in Akron in 2013.

• THE COACHES:
    Jason Candle, 7-2 (1st full year) at Toledo, same overall. 0-0 vs. Akron.
    Terry Bowden, 24-34 (5th year) at Akron, 164-96-2 overall (22 years). 1-1 vs. Toledo.

• TV/STREAMING: ESPN2/ESPN3.
    Play by Play: Roy Philpott
    Analyst: Rocky Boiman
  Sideline: Cole Cubelic

• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 6:00 p.m.
    Play by Play: Brent Balbinot
    Analyst: Austin Dantin
    Sidelines: Jim Heller

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

• UT COACH'S SHOW: Coach Jason Candle and host Brent Balbinot talk Rocket Football every Monday from 6-7 p.m. at Frickers in Maumee. Carried live on WSPD-AM1370 and online on UTRockets.com.

• TWITTER:
    @UTPaulHelgren: Daily updates on UT Football.
    @ToledoFB: Live updates on Game Day.
    @ToledoRockets: Updates for all Rocket sports.


Head Coach Jason Candle previews the Akron game.