Friday, September 4
East Lansing, Mich.
8:00 P.M.
University of Toledo
at
Michigan State
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
The Mike Jacobs era begins Friday night at Michigan State.
Rockets Open 2026 Season at Michigan State
9/1/2026 10:00:00 AM | Football
Toledo faces challenge at Big Ten foe
TOLEDO, Ohio – A new era of University of Toledo football begins on Friday night when the Rockets start the 2026 season against Michigan State. Kickoff under the lights in East Lansing will be at 8:05 p.m. on FS1.
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Toledo, which was 8-5 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference a season ago, will begin its journey with Mike Jacobs, the 28th head coach in program history. The Maumee native was hired on Dec. 10 and replaces Jason Candle, who left Toledo for the head coaching position at UConn. Candle is UT's all-time wins leader (81).
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Despite a new coach and only one returning starter, much is expected from Toledo in 2026, as the Rockets were picked to finish third in the MAC by the league's coaches, behind Western Michigan and Miami. Toledo can make an early statement in East Lansing if it knocks off its third Power Four opponent (Mississippi State and Pittsburgh) in as many years. Michigan State (4-8, 1-8 in 2025) begins the Pat Fitzgerald era. Fitzgerald was previously the head coach at Northwestern, where he was 110-101 from 2006-22.
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Toledo vs. Michigan State
• 2026 TEAM RECORDS:
Toledo (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Michigan State (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
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• SERIES RECORD: Michigan State leads 1-0. The Spartans won the only meeting in 1925.
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• THE COACHES:
Mike Jacobs, 0-0 (1st year) at Toledo, 94-23 overall (8th year), 0-0 vs. Michigan StateÂ
Pat Fitzgerald, 0-0 (1st year) at MSU, 110- 101 overall (17th year), 0-0 vs. Toledo.
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• TV/STREAMING: FS1Â
Play by Play: Noah Reed
Analyst: Petros Papadakis
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• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 7 p.m.
Play by Play: Mark Beier
Analyst: Jack Mewhort
Sidelines: Pete Seymour
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• WEB-AUDIO: Free live audio streaming of the UT Rocket Radio Network broadcast on
the Varsity Network App or UTRockets.com.
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• X/TWITTER: @ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.
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• TICKETS: Online at UTRockets.com/FBtix, by phone at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or at the Rocket Ticket Office in Savage Arena.
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The Launch Pad
• Toledo and Michigan State will meet for the first time in over 100 years in Friday's 2026 season opener.
• The matchup will feature two head coaches in their first years at their respective institutions. However, Mike Jacobs and Pat Fitzgerald combine for over 200 career victories as head coaches.
• Toledo features a bevy of new players from the coaching change, totaling 58 newcomers, including 14 transfers from Jacobs' previous institution in Mercer.
 • The Rockets are seeking their third win over a "Power 4" school in the last three years, having defeated Mississippi State and Pitt in the 2024 season. Toledo has won or been within one score against its last five P4 opponents. The three losses are by a combined 14 points.
 • UT was picked third this season in the MAC preseason coaches poll, behind defending champion Western Michigan and runner-up Miami. The Rockets finished tied for second in the conference last season (6-2), losing out on a tiebreaker to the RedHawks.
 • Running back CJ Miller was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, which is presented annually to the nation's top running back. He was one of two MAC running backs to make the list.
 • Nine Rockets were selected to the PFN Preseason All-MAC teams.
 • John Alan Richter is expected to start for Toledo at quarterback. He served as the Rockets' primary backup for two seasons, with 699 passing yards and seven total touchdowns in his career. Richter missed the end of last season with an injury sustained in Week 5.
 • The Rockets return just one starter from either side of the ball from last season. Toledo is one of just five teams in the FBS with one or no returning starters from 2025.
Â
Toledo, which was 8-5 overall and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference a season ago, will begin its journey with Mike Jacobs, the 28th head coach in program history. The Maumee native was hired on Dec. 10 and replaces Jason Candle, who left Toledo for the head coaching position at UConn. Candle is UT's all-time wins leader (81).
Â
Despite a new coach and only one returning starter, much is expected from Toledo in 2026, as the Rockets were picked to finish third in the MAC by the league's coaches, behind Western Michigan and Miami. Toledo can make an early statement in East Lansing if it knocks off its third Power Four opponent (Mississippi State and Pittsburgh) in as many years. Michigan State (4-8, 1-8 in 2025) begins the Pat Fitzgerald era. Fitzgerald was previously the head coach at Northwestern, where he was 110-101 from 2006-22.
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Toledo vs. Michigan State
• 2026 TEAM RECORDS:
Toledo (0-0, 0-0 MAC)
Michigan State (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Â
• SERIES RECORD: Michigan State leads 1-0. The Spartans won the only meeting in 1925.
Â
• THE COACHES:
Mike Jacobs, 0-0 (1st year) at Toledo, 94-23 overall (8th year), 0-0 vs. Michigan StateÂ
Pat Fitzgerald, 0-0 (1st year) at MSU, 110- 101 overall (17th year), 0-0 vs. Toledo.
Â
• TV/STREAMING: FS1Â
Play by Play: Noah Reed
Analyst: Petros Papadakis
Â
• ROCKET RADIO NETWORK: Pregame begins at 7 p.m.
Play by Play: Mark Beier
Analyst: Jack Mewhort
Sidelines: Pete Seymour
Â
• WEB-AUDIO: Free live audio streaming of the UT Rocket Radio Network broadcast on
the Varsity Network App or UTRockets.com.
Â
• X/TWITTER: @ToledoFB: Regular updates on UT Football, live updates on Game Day.
Â
• TICKETS: Online at UTRockets.com/FBtix, by phone at 419-530-GOLD (4653) or at the Rocket Ticket Office in Savage Arena.
Â
The Launch Pad
• Toledo and Michigan State will meet for the first time in over 100 years in Friday's 2026 season opener.
• The matchup will feature two head coaches in their first years at their respective institutions. However, Mike Jacobs and Pat Fitzgerald combine for over 200 career victories as head coaches.
• Toledo features a bevy of new players from the coaching change, totaling 58 newcomers, including 14 transfers from Jacobs' previous institution in Mercer.
 • The Rockets are seeking their third win over a "Power 4" school in the last three years, having defeated Mississippi State and Pitt in the 2024 season. Toledo has won or been within one score against its last five P4 opponents. The three losses are by a combined 14 points.
 • UT was picked third this season in the MAC preseason coaches poll, behind defending champion Western Michigan and runner-up Miami. The Rockets finished tied for second in the conference last season (6-2), losing out on a tiebreaker to the RedHawks.
 • Running back CJ Miller was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, which is presented annually to the nation's top running back. He was one of two MAC running backs to make the list.
 • Nine Rockets were selected to the PFN Preseason All-MAC teams.
 • John Alan Richter is expected to start for Toledo at quarterback. He served as the Rockets' primary backup for two seasons, with 699 passing yards and seven total touchdowns in his career. Richter missed the end of last season with an injury sustained in Week 5.
 • The Rockets return just one starter from either side of the ball from last season. Toledo is one of just five teams in the FBS with one or no returning starters from 2025.
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