Toledo Opener at Michigan State Moved to Friday, Sept. 4

TOLEDO, Ohio - The Toledo football season will open under the lights against Michigan State on Friday, Sept. 4, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.

The 2026 season opener was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5. Game time and television information will be announced later this month.

The contest renews a series that has been over a century in the making. The teams were originally scheduled to meet during the 2020 season before the game was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sept. 4 matchup will mark the first meeting between the programs since 1925.

Toledo is 6-17 all-time against Big Ten programs.

Toledo enters the season under first-year head coach Mike Jacobs with a veteran offensive line featuring four returning players with starting experience. Junior quarterback John Alan Richter has passed for 699 yards and seven touchdowns across the past two seasons.

The Rockets added one of the top transfer portal classes in the MAC, with 11 players who earned all-conference recognition at their previous schools, including defensive end Andrew Zock, the 2025 FCS Defensive Player of the Year.

Season tickets for the 2026 season are now available at https://utrockets.evenue.net/list/FB or call/text 419-530-GOLD (4653) or stop by the Rocket Ticket Office located in the Sullivan Athletic Complex at Savage Arena during office hours.

2026 Toledo Football Schedule
Sept. 4 at Michigan State
Sept. 12 Central Connecticut State
Sept. 19 Temple
Sept. 26 San Diego State
Oct. 3 at Ball State
Oct. 10 Buffalo (Homecoming)
Oct. 17 at Eastern Michigan
Oct. 24 Western Michigan
Nov. 4 at Sacramento State
Nov. 11 UMass
Nov. 18 Bowling Green
Nov. 27 at Ohio

Players Mentioned

John Alan Richter

Andrew Zock