TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo will be trying to put distance between itself and another MAC West Division foe this week when it hosts Northern Illinois on its annual Homecoming Game on Saturday, Sept. 30 (3:30 p.m./ESPNU).

The Rockets (3-1, 1-0 MAC) are on top West Division thanks to their 49-31 victory over division opponent Western Michigan on Sept. 23.  Toledo outscored the Broncos 35-7 in the second half to overcome a 10-point deficit.

The Rockets, who trailed 24-14 at halftime, outgained WMU 295-142 and forced three turnovers to turn the tide in the second half and cruised to a double-digit victory. Toledo put together its second-half comeback without starting quarterback Dequan Finn, who left the game early in the third quarter due to injury. In his place, sophomore QB Tucker Gleason led a high-powered offense that scored five second-half touchdowns.

Junior running back Peny Boone rushed for a career-high 211 yards and two scores, including 132 yards in the fourth quarter alone. Gleason completed 6-of-10 passes and threw for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Finn added 119 yards through the air and two scores before leaving the game. Senior wide receiver Jerjuan Newton caught four passes for 72 yards and a career-best three touchdowns.

Northern Illinois (1-3, 0-0 MAC) has lost three straight games after knocking off Boston College in the season opener. Last week the Huskies lost to Tulsa at home, 22-14, which followed losses to Southern Illinois and Nebraska. NIU ranks second in the MAC in total defense (298.5 yards/game), one spot ahead of Toledo, and has relinquished just under 24 points per game.

Toledo vs. Northern Illinois
Saturday, Sept. 30 - 3:30 p.m.
The Glass Bowl
Homecoming

• TEAM RECORDS: 
    Toledo (3-1, 1-0 MAC)
    Northern Illinois (1-3, 0-0 MAC)

• SERIES RECORD: Toledo leads, 33-17. The Rockets won in DeKalb last year, 52-32.

• THE COACHES: 
    Jason Candle, 57-33 (8th year) at Toledo, same overall. 4-3 vs. Northern Illinois.
    Thomas Hammock, 18-30 (5th year) at NIU same overall. 2-2 vs. Toledo.

• TV/STREAMING: ESPNU
    Play by Play: Jay Alter 
  Analyst: Rene Ingoglia 

• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 2:00 p.m.
   Play by Play: Mark Beier
    Analyst: Jack Mewhort
    Sidelines: Mike Robinson

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

• X/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.

Notes From the Launch Pad
    • Junior Peny Boone is second in the MAC and 16th in the country in rushing yards (110.5/game). He has rushed for career highs in each of his past two games,  including 211 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries vs. WMU. A week earlier, he had 123 rushing yards vs. San Jose State and was named MAC West Offensive Player of the Week.
    • Before leaving the WMU game in the third quarter due to injury, Dequan Finn threw for 119 yards, giving him 5,096 for his career and making him the 11th Rocket to throw for at least 5,000 yards. Finn also threw for two touchdowns, giving him eight for the season and 49 for his career, which ranks fifth all-time at Toledo.
    • Junior Jerjuan Newton's career-high three touchdown receptions vs. WMU gives him six for the year and 18 for his career, which ranks tied for 12th in school history. He is tied for the most TD receptions in the country.
    • Toledo leads the MAC in scoring offense (42.3), total offense (445.8) and rushing offense (214.0), is second in scoring defense (20.3) and third total defense (319.8).
    • Toledo is No. 7 in the country in third-down conversions (28-51/56.0%) and 15th in fourth-down conversions (3-4/75.0%).
    • Saturday's game is the 100th anniversary of the very first Homecoming Game at Toledo, a 27-0 victory over Bowling Green on Oct. 27, 1923.