2023 Toledo Rockets football team

Last updated

2023 Toledo Rockets football
Toledo Rockets wordmark.svg
MAC West Division champion
MAC Championship, L 14–23 vs. Miami (OH)
Arizona Bowl, L 15–16 vs. Wyoming
Conference Mid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Ranking
APNo. 23
Record11–3 (8–0 MAC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinator Mike Hallett (4th season)
Co-offensive coordinator Robert Weiner (4th season)
Defensive coordinator Vince Kehres (4th season)
Co-defensive coordinatorRoss Watson (4th season)
Co-defensive coordinatorCraig Kuligowski (4th season)
Home stadium Glass Bowl
Seasons
  2022
2024  
2023 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Miami (OH) xy$  7 1   11 3  
Ohio  6 2   10 3  
Bowling Green  5 3   7 6  
Buffalo  3 5   3 9  
Akron  1 7   2 10  
Kent State  0 8   1 11  
West Division
Toledo xy  8 0   11 3  
Northern Illinois  5 3   7 6  
Eastern Michigan  4 4   6 7  
Central Michigan  3 5   5 7  
Ball State  3 5   4 8  
Western Michigan  3 5   4 8  
Championship: Miami (OH) 23, Toledo 14
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant

The 2023 Toledo Rockets football team represented the University of Toledo during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rockets were led by eighth-year head coach Jason Candle and played their home games at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. [1] They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Rockets won the West with a perfect conference record. [2] Their quarterback Dequan Finn won Player of the Year and coach Jason Candle won coach of the year. [3] Miami defeated them in the MAC Championship Game with a 23–14 upset victory. [4] They played Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl, where they lost 15–16. [5]

Contents

Preseason

Preseason polls

Coaches Poll

On July 20, the MAC announced the preseason coaches poll. Toledo was picked to finish first in the West. They received seven votes to win conference. [6] [7]

East
Predicted finishTeamVotes (1st place)
1Ohio63 (9)
2Miami52 (2)
3Buffalo51 (1)
4Bowling Green35
5Akron26
6Kent State19
West
Predicted finishTeamVotes (1st place)
1Toledo66 (11)
2Eastern Michigan55 (1)
3Northern Illinois38
4Central Michigan37
5Ball State27
6Western Michigan23
Coaches poll (MAC Championship)
RankTeamVotes
1Toledo7
2Ohio4
3Buffalo1

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 2 7:30 p.m. at Illinois * BTN L 28–3048,898
September 9 3:30 p.m. Texas Southern * ESPN+ W 71–3 22,742
September 16 7:00 p.m. San Jose State *
  • Glass Bowl
  • Toledo, OH
ESPN+ W 21–17 20,039
September 23 1:30 p.m. Western Michigan
  • Glass Bowl
  • Toledo, OH
ESPN+ W 49–31 19,068
September 30 3:30 p.m. Northern Illinois Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Glass Bowl
  • Toledo, OH
ESPNU W 35–33 19,068
October 7 12:00 p.m. at UMass * ESPNU W 41–24 9,623
October 14 2:00 p.m. at Ball State ESPN+ W 13–67,673
October 21 4:00 p.m. at Miami (OH) ESPNU W 21–17 17,321
October 31 7:30 p.m. Buffalo
  • Glass Bowl
  • Toledo, OH
ESPN2 W 31–13 14,939
November 8 7:30 p.m. Eastern Michigan
  • Glass Bowl
  • Toledo, OH
ESPN2 W 49–23 17,842
November 14 7:00 p.m. at Bowling Green ESPN2 W 32–31 20,590
November 24 12:00 p.m. at Central Michigan ESPNU W 32–17 8,612
December 2 12:00 p.m. vs. Miami (OH) ESPN L 14–23 20,200
December 30 4:30 p.m. vs. Wyoming The CW/Barstool Sports L 15–16 30,428
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP RVRVRVRVRV2323RVRV
Coaches RVRVRVRVRVRVRVRV
CFP Not releasedNot released

Source: AP - [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24]

Coaches - [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39]

CFP - [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45]

NFL Draft

The NFL draft was held at Campus Martius Park in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25–27, 2024. Additionally Chris McDonald, Dallas Gant, Judge Culpepper, and David Nwaogwugwu were signed as undrafted free agents.

Rockets who were picked in the 2024 NFL Draft:

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL Team
122 Quinyon Mitchell CB Philadelphia Eagles

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The Toledo Rockets football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, 1943, 1944, and 1945. Since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936, Toledo has finished in the Top 25 four times. Its highest finish came in 1970 when it ranked No. 12 after finishing 12–0. Toledo has a 11–9 record in bowl games. The Rockets were the 2017 MAC champions. The team's head coach is Jason Candle.

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