Saturday, November 29
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Noon
University of Toledo
at
Central Michigan
Players Mentioned
Chip Trayanum was named MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for his performance vs. Ball State last Saturday.
Photo by: ©2025 The University of Toledo
Rockets Travel to Central Michigan With MAC Title Hopes on the Line
11/25/2025 8:32:00 AM | Football
Toledo and CMU locked in four-way tie for second place headed into regular-season finale
TOLEDO, Ohio – Toledo's quest for the 2025 MAC Championship comes down to the final regular season contest when the Rockets travel to Central Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 29 (Noon/ESPN+) in a battle that could determine who plays in the league title game on Dec. 7.
Toledo (7-4, 5-2 MAC) enters Saturday's game locked in a four-way tie for second place in the MAC with Miami, Central Michigan and Ohio, one game behind conference leader Western Michigan (6-1). While many scenarios are possible, one certainty is that the Rockets need a victory over the Chippewas and a loss by either Ohio or Miami to earn their third trip to the MAC title game in the past four seasons. MAC Tie-Breaker Scenarios
The Rockets are coming off a 38-9 victory over Ball State at the Glass Bowl last week, their third victory in a row. Tucker Gleason threw for four touchdowns to lead the Rocket offense. Toledo's defense held Ball State just 308 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers.. The Rocket D racked up a school-record 17 tackles for loss and tied the program record with seven sacks, holding its opponent to single digits for the third consecutive game.
Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2 MAC) has won its last two games, a 28-16 victory at Kent State on Nov. 19, and a home victory over Buffalo, 38-19, on Nov. 12. The Chippewas' MAC losses were to Akron and Western Michigan.
Toledo vs. Central Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 29 - Noon
Kelly-Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, Mich.
• 2025 TEAM RECORDS:Â
Toledo (7-4, 5-2 MAC)
Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2 MAC)
• SERIES RECORD: Toledo leads, 30-20-3. Toledo has won 13 of the last 15 meetings, including a 37-10 win in the Glass Bowl last year.
• THE COACHES:Â
Jason Candle, 80-44 (10th year) at Toledo, same overall. 7-2 vs. CMU.
Matt Drinkall, 7-4 (1st year) at CMU, 49-21overall (6th year). 0-0 vs. Toledo.
• TV/STREAMING: ESPN+
Play by Play: Michael Reghi
Analyst: Je'Rod CherryÂ
• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 11:00 a.m.
Play by Play: Mark Beier
Analyst: Jack Mewhort
Sidelines: Pete Seymour
• WEB-AUDIO: Free live audio streaming of the UT Rocket Radio Network broadcast on the Varsity Network App or UTRockets.com.Â
• X/TWITTER:Â
@ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.
The Launch Pad
• Toledo leads the series with Central Michigan, 30-20-3. Toledo has won 13 of the last 15 meetings overall, including a 37-10 victory in the Glass Bowl last year.
• Toledo's win over Ball State clinched its 16th consecutive season without a losing record, the third-longest streak in the FBS.
• Toledo finished the 2025 season with a 6-0 home record. The Rockets are 21-3 at home over the past four years.
• Toledo has held its opponent to 14 points or fewer six times this season.
• A fourth-quarter touchdown by Ball State snapped a streak of 11 consecutive quarters in which the Rockets held their opponents without a touchdown.
• Toledo's defense ranks second in the FBS in total defense ( 240.9) behind Ohio State (212.6).
• In other FBS rankings, Toledo ranks No. 1 in defensive passing efficiency (94.24), third in first downs allowed (152), fifth in passing yards allowed (148.7), fifth in scoring defense (13.0), sixth in third-down defense conversion (29.6%),  and seventh in rushing defense (92.2).
• Toledo ranks first in the MAC in nearly every significant team stat: scoring offense (32.6), scoring defense (13.0), total offense (422.8), total defense (240.9), rushing defense (92.2), passing offense (247.5), passing defense (148.7), defensive pass efficiency (94.24), third-down conversion defense (29.6%), punt return yards (356) and punt return defense (4.2).
• Junior Vandeross III caught seven passes vs. Ball State, becoming the seventh Rocket to reach of the 200-reception mark. Vandeross has caught at least one pass in 38 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
• Senior Chip Trayanum's 128-yard performance vs. Ball State earned him MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors and helped him cross the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his career (2,118).
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Toledo (7-4, 5-2 MAC) enters Saturday's game locked in a four-way tie for second place in the MAC with Miami, Central Michigan and Ohio, one game behind conference leader Western Michigan (6-1). While many scenarios are possible, one certainty is that the Rockets need a victory over the Chippewas and a loss by either Ohio or Miami to earn their third trip to the MAC title game in the past four seasons. MAC Tie-Breaker Scenarios
The Rockets are coming off a 38-9 victory over Ball State at the Glass Bowl last week, their third victory in a row. Tucker Gleason threw for four touchdowns to lead the Rocket offense. Toledo's defense held Ball State just 308 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers.. The Rocket D racked up a school-record 17 tackles for loss and tied the program record with seven sacks, holding its opponent to single digits for the third consecutive game.
Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2 MAC) has won its last two games, a 28-16 victory at Kent State on Nov. 19, and a home victory over Buffalo, 38-19, on Nov. 12. The Chippewas' MAC losses were to Akron and Western Michigan.
Toledo vs. Central Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 29 - Noon
Kelly-Shorts Stadium • Mount Pleasant, Mich.
• 2025 TEAM RECORDS:Â
Toledo (7-4, 5-2 MAC)
Central Michigan (7-4, 5-2 MAC)
• SERIES RECORD: Toledo leads, 30-20-3. Toledo has won 13 of the last 15 meetings, including a 37-10 win in the Glass Bowl last year.
• THE COACHES:Â
Jason Candle, 80-44 (10th year) at Toledo, same overall. 7-2 vs. CMU.
Matt Drinkall, 7-4 (1st year) at CMU, 49-21overall (6th year). 0-0 vs. Toledo.
• TV/STREAMING: ESPN+
Play by Play: Michael Reghi
Analyst: Je'Rod CherryÂ
• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 11:00 a.m.
Play by Play: Mark Beier
Analyst: Jack Mewhort
Sidelines: Pete Seymour
• WEB-AUDIO: Free live audio streaming of the UT Rocket Radio Network broadcast on the Varsity Network App or UTRockets.com.Â
• X/TWITTER:Â
@ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.
The Launch Pad
• Toledo leads the series with Central Michigan, 30-20-3. Toledo has won 13 of the last 15 meetings overall, including a 37-10 victory in the Glass Bowl last year.
• Toledo's win over Ball State clinched its 16th consecutive season without a losing record, the third-longest streak in the FBS.
• Toledo finished the 2025 season with a 6-0 home record. The Rockets are 21-3 at home over the past four years.
• Toledo has held its opponent to 14 points or fewer six times this season.
• A fourth-quarter touchdown by Ball State snapped a streak of 11 consecutive quarters in which the Rockets held their opponents without a touchdown.
• Toledo's defense ranks second in the FBS in total defense ( 240.9) behind Ohio State (212.6).
• In other FBS rankings, Toledo ranks No. 1 in defensive passing efficiency (94.24), third in first downs allowed (152), fifth in passing yards allowed (148.7), fifth in scoring defense (13.0), sixth in third-down defense conversion (29.6%),  and seventh in rushing defense (92.2).
• Toledo ranks first in the MAC in nearly every significant team stat: scoring offense (32.6), scoring defense (13.0), total offense (422.8), total defense (240.9), rushing defense (92.2), passing offense (247.5), passing defense (148.7), defensive pass efficiency (94.24), third-down conversion defense (29.6%), punt return yards (356) and punt return defense (4.2).
• Junior Vandeross III caught seven passes vs. Ball State, becoming the seventh Rocket to reach of the 200-reception mark. Vandeross has caught at least one pass in 38 consecutive games, the fourth-longest streak in the nation.
• Senior Chip Trayanum's 128-yard performance vs. Ball State earned him MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors and helped him cross the 2,000-yard rushing mark for his career (2,118).
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