TOLEDO - The Toledo Rockets will put their early-season success to the test when they travel to Provo, UT to face a battle-hardened BYU team in a nationally televised contest on Friday, Sept. 30 (ESPN2).
Toledo (3-0) has out-scored its first three opponents by a combined score of 128-30. Most recently the Rockets blitzed Fresno State, 52-17, in the Glass Bowl on Sept. 17.
So far, first-year head coach
Jason Candle has to be pleased with the progress of his team. The Rockets' defense, which returned only three starters from a year ago, has held each of its opponents to less than 266 yards of total offense. UT ranks third in the nation in scoring defense (10.0) and seventh in total defense (251.7). Toledo also has prevented opponents from gaining a first-down in 22 of 41 possessions this season.
Toledo's offense has been just as effective, averaging 42.7 points and 563.7 yards per contest. Junior quarterback
Logan Woodside has thrown for 11 touchdown passes and leads the country in passing efficiency (200.2). Junior wide receiver
Cody Thompson has garnered 361 yards and three touchdowns from his 11 receptions, and paces the nation with 32.8 yards per catch. Senior
Kareem Hunt leads the ground attack with 267 yards and two touchdowns.
Thanks to a bye week, the Rockets will have had an extra seven days to prepare for the Cougars (1-3), who lost to West Virginia, 35-32, at Fed-Ex Field in Landover, MD on Sept. 24. BYU's four games have all been decided by no more than three points, an 18-16 win at Arizona, a 20-19 loss at Utah and a 17-14 home defeat to UCLA.
Rocket Round-Up
• This will be the first meeting between Toledo and BYU. The Cougars are scheduled to make the return trip to Toledo in 2019.
• Toledo begins the season 3-0 for only the second time in the last 11 years. The other time? Last year's 7-0 start.
•
Jason Candle is the first UT coach to begin his career with four straight wins since Tom Amstutz went 5-0 to start the 2001 campaign.
• Toledo leads the nation in successful third-down attempts, converting 28-of-47 (59.6%). Conversely, Rocket opponents have made just 8-of-48 third-down tries (16.7%), the third-best mark for defenses in the country.
• Through three games this season, Toledo has accumulated 1,691 yards of total offense, while its opposition has mustered only 755.
• UT has not surrendered a sack this year and has only given up a sack in just three of its last 15 games.
• Quarterback
Logan Woodside leads the nation in passing efficiency (202.0). He has completed nine passes of 40 yards or more this season, already surpassing UT's total of seven in 12 games last season.
• Junior wide receiver
Cody Thompson leads the nation with 32.8 yards per catch. It's no fluke, as Thompson finished third in the country as a sophomore, averaging 22.3 yards per grab.
Toledo vs. BYU
• TEAM RECORDS:
Toledo (2-0, 0-0 MAC)
BYU (1-3)
• SERIES RECORD: First meeting.
• THE COACHES:
Jason Candle, 4-0 (1st full year) at Toledo, same overall. 0-0 vs. BYU.
Kalani Sitake, 1-3 (1st year) at BYU, same overall. 0-0 vs. Toledo.
• TV/STREAMING: ESPN2/ESPN3.
Play by Play: Adam Amin
Analyst: Mack Brown
Sideline: Molly McGrath
• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 8:45 p.m. ET
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 BYU game.
Senior tight end Michael Roberts previews the BYU game.
Senior safety Connery Swift previews the BYU game.
