Toledo, Ohio – The 2020 football season is here at last for the Toledo Rockets and it opens with a bang. 

After a months-long delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Toledo begins its 2020 campaign against arch-rival Bowling Green in the annual Battle of I-75. The Rockets are looking to get the six-game season off on the right foot, as well as avenge last season's 20-7 loss at Bowling Green.

Head Coach Jason Candle welcomes back 18 starters to his squad, including five All-MAC players: seniors Bryce Harris (offensive line) and Bryce Mitchell (wide receiver), juniors Bryant Koback (running back) and Jamal Hines (defensive end), and sophomore Nick Rosi (offensive line).     

Koback was slowed by a late-season injury, but still managed to rush for 1,187 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2019, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Junior Shakif Seymour added 741 yards and five scores. Harris, an All-MAC selection in 2018, was injured for all of 2019 but is back at his center position.

Hines is among eight returning starters on defense, along with senior safety Tycen Anderson (84 tackles in 2019), and senior cornerback Samuel Womack, who led the MAC with 15 pass breakups.

Fan and All-Time Rocket Great Cut-Outs to be Featured in Glass Bowl This Season
Rocket fans will be able to enjoy a unique way to support the Midnight Blue & Gold this fall.  While physical attendance inside the Glass Bowl will not be allowed this season, University of Toledo Athletics and Dave White Chevrolet have teamed up to give fans a chance to still be at the center of the action through their new Fan Cutout program. Fans will be able to submit a photo of themselves, a family member, a friend or a pet so they can virtually "sit" in the Glass Bowl.  Cutouts will be placed in the endzone (section 14) and prize packs will be awarded any time a cutout is hit by an extra point or field goal. The Glass Bowl will also feature cutouts of the Top 50 Rockets of all time, as voted on by the fans in 2017 as part of the 100-year anniversary celebration of Toledo Football. The all-time top five head coaches will also be featured as cutouts.

Rocket Round-Up
    • Toledo was selected to win the West Division of the Mid-American Conference in a poll of the league's coaches. The league's media chose the Rockets to come in second.    
    • The all-time series between Toledo and Bowling Green is tied, 40-40-4. Toledo had won nine straight games against its rival until a 20-7 loss at Bowling Green in 2019.
    • Toledo and Bowling Green will be playing for the Battle of I-75 Trophy for the 10th time. Toledo won the trophy for the first time in 2011 and held it until last year.
    • Toledo added four new assistant coaches in the off-season: Craig Kuligowski (assistant head coach/co-defensive coordinator/outside linebackers), Vince Kehres (defensive coordinator/linebackers), Robert Weiner (co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) and Mark Staten (tight ends/offensive tackles).
    • Toledo was second in the MAC in rushing (224.5) in 2019 and fourth in total offense (434.1). 
    • Junior Bryant Koback (2,104 yards) and senior Shakif Seymour (2,008 yards) both cracked the 2,000-yard career rushing mark in 2019.
    • Senior cornerback Samuel Womack led the MAC with 15 pass breakups, just one shy of the national leader. Sophomore corner Chris McDonald was tied for third in the MAC with 10 breakups. 
    • Seniors Bryce Mitchell and Danzel McKinley-Lewis ranked second and sixth in the MAC in yards per catch with 19.4 and 17.1 yards, respectively. Mitchell had 35 receptions for 679 yards while McKinley-Lewis had 36 receptions for 615 yards.
    • Despite playing in only six games, senior Mitchell Guadagni ranked second in the MAC in passing efficiency (158.8).

Toledo vs. Bowling Green

• TEAM RECORDS: 
    Toledo (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
    Bowling Green (0-0, 0-0 MAC)

• SERIES RECORD: Series tied, 40-40-4. Bowling Green won at home last season, snapping a nine-game Toledo winning streak in the series.

• THE COACHES: 
    Jason Candle, 34-19 (5th year) at Toledo, same overall. 3-1 vs. BGSU.
    Scott Loeffler, 3-9 (2nd year) at BGSU, same overall. 1-0 vs. Toledo.

• TV/STREAMING: ESPNU
    Play by Play: Mike Couzens
    Analyst: Rocky Boiman

• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 6:30 p.m.
   Play by Play: Brent Balbinot
   Analyst: Jack Miller
  Sidelines: Mike Robinson

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

• TWITTER: 
    @ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.


Head Coach Jason Candle press conference.


Senior center Bryce Harris press conference.


Senior quarterback Eli Peters press conference.