Rockets Going For Second Home Win Saturday vs. UMass

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo Rockets will try to make it two straight wins when they host UMass at the Glass Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 10 (7:00 p.m./ESPN+).

The Rockets rolled to a 37-0 victory over Long Island University in their season opener at the Glass Bowl on Sept. 1. Sophomore Dequan Finn threw for 216 yards and ran for 64 yards to lead the offense.

Toledo's defense was virtually impenetrable all night, holding LIU to just 113 yards of total offense. In the first half, the Sharks managed just 36 yards on 28 plays. Junior Desjuan Johnson led the way with 3.0 tackles for loss, while senior Jamal Hines added 1.5 TFLs.

Toledo's offense did not score on its first three possessions, but then scored on four of its next five to take a 20-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Junior Thomas Cluckey's third field goal of the game extended the lead to 23-0 early in the fourth quarter. Finn hit junior Jerjuan Newton for a 40-yard touchdown and sophomore reserve running back Jordan Lowe scored on a 29-yard TD to close out the scoring.

UMass opened its 2022 season with a 42-10 loss at Tulane. The Minutemen are led by first-year head coach Don Brown, now in his second stint in Amherst. Brown was 43-19 as the UMass head coach from 2004-08 before going on to serve as a defensive coordinator at Maryland, UConn, Boston College, Michigan and Arizona.

Toledo vs. UMass

• TEAM RECORDS:
   Toledo (1-0, 0-0 MAC)
   UMass (0-1)

• SERIES RECORD: Toledo leads, 5-1. The Rockets won the last meeting, 42-7, at McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst in 2021.

• THE COACHES:
   Jason Candle, 46-27 (7th year) at Toledo, same overall. 1-0 vs. UMass.
   Don Brown, 0-1 in 2022, 43-19 from 2004-08 at UMass, 95-46 overall. 0-0 vs. Toledo.

• TV/STREAMING: ESPN+
   Play by Play: Anthony Lima
Analyst: Stan Lewter

• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 5:30 p.m.
Play by Play: Brent Balbinot
   Analyst: Andy Boyd
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.

• TICKETS:
    Online at UTRockets.com/tix, by phone at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or at the Rocket Ticket Office in Savage Arena.

Rocket Round-Up
   • Toledo won its 12th consecutive home opener with its win over LIU. The last time the Rockets lost a home opener was a 41-2 loss to Arizona in 2010.
   • Toledo is now 27-2 against FCS opponents.
   • Toledo recorded its first shutout since a 45-0 blanking of Murray State on Sept. 14, 2019.
   • After one game, Toledo's ranks No. 1 in the MAC in scoring defense (0.0) and total defense (113.0).
   • Sophomore Demeer Blankumsee led the Rockets with a career-high seven receptions.
   • Senior Desjuan Johnson tied his career high with 3.0 tackles for loss, while senior Jamal Hines added 1.5 TFLs.
   • Junior linebacker Dallas Gant (OSU transfer) led Toledo with 11 tackles in his debut as a Rocket. He added a forced fumble and broke up one pass.
   • Junior Thomas Cluckey connected on field goals of 43, 27 and 30 yards, the fourth time he has connected on three field goals in a game.
   • Sophomore Peny Boone (transfer from Maryland) rushed for 56 yards in his Rocket debut.
   • Defensive tackle Devan Rogers saw action at center as well as playing one series at his normal position.
   • Redshirt freshman punter Jonathan Batzke averaged 43.0 yards in five punts and dropped three punts inside the 20, including punts to the two and five-yard lines.

HONORING TOLEDO'S HALL OF FAMERS
The University of Toledo Athletic Department will honor its three members of the College Football Hall of Fame with a special dinner celebration on Friday, Sept. 9 at the Pinnacle in Maumee.

The honorees are Chuck Ealey and Mel Long, stars of the 1969-71 Rockets that went 35-0 and put Toledo on the college football map, and Coach Gary Pinkel, who set the school record for victories during his tenure from 1991-2000. Ealey and Pinkel are being officially inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in Las Vegas on Dec. 6. Long was inducted into the prestigious group in 1998.

The three honorees will also be honored during the first quarter of the UMass game on Saturday, Sept. 10.

The College Football Hall of Fame Celebration on Friday will begin with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a tailgate-style buffet at 6:30 p.m. A special program featuring all three inductees will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Ealey, Long, and Pinkel will all be presented with a framed water-color portrait that was painted by Aaron Bivins, the Toledo Football team's all-time leading tackler and 2006 inductee into the school's Varsity T Hall of Fame. Attendees at the celebration event will receive football card replicas of the portraits. A limited number of the commemorative football cards will be given out to fans attending the UMass game.

Rockets Going For Second Home Win Saturday vs. UMass

Players Mentioned

Peny Boone

Thomas Cluckey

Dequan Finn

Dallas Gant

Jamal Hines

Desjuan Johnson

Jordan Lowe

Jerjuan Newton

Devan Rogers

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